RE4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True
by Pikpixie03
Summary: Inspired by 1wingangel's fic and the game! Rally continues her misadventure with the sexy badass, but needs to rejoin Leon to continue their adventure and escape the island. Is Rally clever enough to escape Wesker's clutches? NEW CHAPPY! R & R please! Temporary hiatus
1. Prologue: Kidnapped!

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. I know what you lovey dovey Leon fans are thinking and sorry to burst your bubble, but no this will NOT be a romance fic. I don't care how much you girls whine for it but the answer is still no. I'm not a fan of self-insertion stories that involve romance between real people and characters - It's sick to me, but I'm not flaming on anyone that has those fics or are fans of it. Whatever floats Ir boat, but it ain't happening in this fic. I hope that this places you more in the events of Resident Evil 4! Make sure I read her fic!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you! Enjoy!!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True

Prologue: Kidnapped!

It's a beautiful day, 80 degrees Fahrenheit, no clouds, and a nice breeze coming from the north. The perfect Texas weather and as such, it can change on the fly if the Texan Mother Nature felt like changing it. I was more than happy to get out of school and go play Resident Evil 4 again. Just because I've beaten the game twice doesn't mean I'm done playing it! It's so damn addicting! I sigh dreamily. Running around as cute Leon, blowing off heads with the Riot Gun and Blacktail...oohhh! It gives me the chills just thinking about it! I pulled out my player's guide to check the price of the my favorite weapon. Ah ha! I just needed a few hundred more Pestas to get Leon's hands on the Chicago Typewriter, the sweetest weapon ever!

As I pondered over what to sell to get the weapon, a fierce wind whips up and blows away my RE4 poster. I shriek, pushing the guide back into my backpack and race after my prized possession. After chasing the playful wind and my poster, I finally retrieve it and walk over to one of the many cement benches scattered all over the school. I chose the one that was in the abandoned corner on the western of the yard and sat down, setting my pack next me. I checked over the poster with a critical eye, making sure it wasn't damaged before I refolded it and placed it back in my pack.

As I continued my thoughts of the game, my cell phone rang. I quickly flick it open answer the call, assuring my mother that I was still alive and well. I didn't even registar the gentle thud behind me as I ended the call, but before I could put away my phone someone grabbed me! One minute I'm struggling to pull away and staring at the ground, a split second later, I'm staring at the cement floor of the school's roof! I blinked in confusion, forgetting what was happening for now. The roof was about twenty feet straight up from the ground where I was at. That was one hell of a jump! Then I remembered...

_Holy crap, I'm being kidnapped! _

I tried to scream for help but a large hand had already clamped over my mouth, while the other arm was wrapped firmly around my waist, preventing me from yelling and running away. _Crap, this guy has thought of everything._ So, I decided to fight back by thrashing around wildly around in the guy's arms. I kicked at his legs as hard as I could but either the guy was ignoring my attempts or he just flat out didn't feel it. Wow, this registers as a ten in the 'this-sucks-a-meter'.

And I've just realized that I shouldn't have flailed my arms around, because there went my cell phone, flying over the edge of the roof and shattering on the pavement below. I didn't have any hope of someone seeing what was going on. My college had let out fifteen minutes ago and I had volunteered to stay behind to tutor some students. Not to mention that I was being pulled over to the eastern ledge away from the main entrance to the building. There parked in parking lot on the otherside of school was a large inconspicuous black van. I scowled at it.

_What is it with you kidnappers and black vans?!_

I flailed wildly as my kidnapper paused at the other side of the roof, staring at the van. For that moment I took a quick break from my struggling and sighed through the guy's hand. This was hopeless, if my thrashing and kicking hadn't done anything to this guy then what could? I hung my head in despair, this guys could take me anywhere and kill me and the police wouldn't do jack 'til I was gone for two days. I mean, what the hell kind of rule was that?! The kidnapper seemed to have thought that I had given up and chuckled to himself. I stiffened angrily at his laugh and renewed my struggles.

That was when I caught a glimpse of the guy's pants. Desert camo cargo pants? Black knee guards? Black combat boots? I froze in complete shock. _Wait, I recognized those clothes! Holy shit, I'm being kidnapped by him!! _The guy chuckled again and I began to feel a little light-headed. Then I saw the white cloth, soaked in strange liquid, was clamped over my nose and mouth. And I was breathing it in. _Crap_. Apparently, Mr. Chuckles had switched hands on me while I was staring at his clothes.

_Shit._

My head began to slouch forward, my body sagging against his and my senses were fading in and out. He chuckled again as I wilted in front of him and I cursed silently at what was going on. "This sucks..." I mumbled sleepily as my body went limp in the guy's arms, "Passing out in front of the enemy..." My eyes fluttered closed and only a single thought entered my mind. A thought that I had always said to my friends and wished it was true.

_Man, I would give anything to hang out with Leon and relive the RE4 nightmare with him!_

I just didn't think it would actually come true...


	2. Chattin' With Saddler and Krauser

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine.

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you! Enjoy!!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True

Chapter One: Chattin' With Saddler and Krauser

My mind awoke but my body still needed a little more time to recover. I could hear a couple of men's voices talking right near me. I recognized both right away and keep still, listening intently to their "private" conversation.

"She's not the President's daughter but she'll serve the purpose just as well."

_Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Jack "__**Ass**__" Krauser!_ (A/N: He's pretty cool but not as cool as Wesker!)

"And exactly how are you so sure about this? She is merely a weak American girl with no great title but the average college student. Your government will do nothing to find her, she is of no use to me..."

_Yet, you decided to inject me with your crappy parasite anyway._

"Not for a while, anyway. They'll scour her hometown for at least a few days before they find anything that may lead them way out here. By that time, she's already home in bed with a full grown Plagas snuggled in her body. Besides, if I had went for the President's daughter as planned it'll bring the government here that much more quickly."

"...You are intellgent for an American, Krauser. I will accept her and you have my trust...for now. Take heed, my friend, my trust is not something that you should betray."

Now I feel like freaking out for two things. One, I'm scared to see what's going on. Two, I'm excited to know I'll be taking on the role of Ashley. What does she do again, other than doing nothing to help? Let's see, she screams, hides, ducks, throws lamps, struggles...gets carried off, and crawls around in dark, claustraphobic areas. Oh, and die if you so much as shoot in her general direction! I'm going to have so much fun doing all that..._if_ I was Ashley. Thank God, I'm not her. I'll help Leon in ways that Ashley didn't bother to do in the game!

"You don't need to worry. I already understand and fully accept the consequences should I fail, Lord Saddler."

_Wow, that's a load of bullshit that you're feeding to Saddler._

I couldn't help but giggle at that point as I lifted my head and cracked a grin. Apparently, I surprised them both when they stared at me in...uh..well...surprise. I looked around, trying to figure out exactly where in the villiage I'm at right now. I know for certain that I'm not at the church yet. I tried to think how long it would take for..._Leon_...(dreamy sigh) to find me and start kicking some ass. Everything's in place and all is going according to the story so far, so I hope that the government sends Leon Scott Kennedy to come and save the day.

_This is so cool!_

Osmond Saddler is standing over to my right. Wow, the guy is damn tall! And Jack Krauser is over to my left, glaring at me for some reason. Ah, that's right, I giggled at his cute little speech and if I'm not careful I could wind up dead. But I'm not going think about that, it's only going depress me. Now what to do before Leon gets here? I'm tied to cheap chair somewhere in Spain and it'll be hours before the hero of the game will arrive. Only one solution to the problem.

Make small talk.

"Osmond Saddler and Jack Krauser," I replied brightly yet with a hint a sarcasm.

"Ah, you have awoken!" Saddler greeted somewhat warmly. "How are you feeling, Miss...?"

"Rally." I tried not to think about it, it may scar me for life. I could see it now- I'm scarred for life because evil bad guy plays nice to "guests." Krauser only glared at me.

"I thought you'd be out for another couple of hours." I only smiled at him. A sneaky smile.

"I would be if you had used more of that smelly liquid you used on me earlier."

"Tell me, how was your lovely trip?" Saddler asked. I turned to him with a fake smile.

"Would have been better, if I was actually conscious to see the lovely European country side. But I'm sure I'll see them when I go home."

"Well, too damn bad. You won't be seeing that for a while now. Or even go home." the American traitor sneered at me. I only sat back on the chair and gave him a cheeky grin. My brown eyes twinkling in mischief.

"Well, if that's true then why am I here? If I don't go home, then Saddler's plan is a bust. Then you basically kidnapped me for nothing." I shot back, "So you can stop trying to scare me."

"Why would I be lying to you? It's true, you're not going home." the commando growled. I blinked slowly, showing no interest in what he was saying.

"Right, like you're not lying to Saddler now." I muttered under my breath.

"What did you say?"

"Tch. I said you're stabbing America in the back by going along with Mr. Dungeons and Dragons here. Besides, I know you're lying."

"I'm not lying."

"Yes, you are!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are too, you treacherous ass!"

"Are not, dumb bitch!"

"Numbnuts!"

"Bimbo!"

"Arrogant _pendejo_!!" (moron, at least something like it)

"Loud mouth girl!!"

"ENOUGH!" Saddler snapped, rubbing his temples with his fingers. Ew, he really needs to get them trimmed. Evidently, having enough of our little quarrel and wanted silence. I know for sure that I shouldn't piss him off but that doesn't mean I couldn't tick Krauser off. Aww, look, Mr. Commando's face is all red from anger.

"Arrgh!!" Krauser snarled, holding his curved combat knife out at me, "If you so much as insult me again, I'll kill you!"

"Bite me!" I snapped back and spat on his left black boot. The traitor's body quivered in rage and I knew that he wanted to slit my throat right now but I knew he couldn't do that. Not if he wanted Saddler on his ass. Saddler sighed.

"Krauser, please control yourself." the Plagas Leader said, looking disappointed, "You are arguing with a mere child. It is humiliating...to your stature."

"I'm twenty years old!" I griped, turning away from the two. Saddler waved Krauser away and told him to check on the Miliants' training back on the Island. Excitement grew within me at the mention of the area, the last stop in the game and one of the toughest places to go through! Well, besides the castle level. Saddler turned to me with a smile. I'm going to have nightmares about that damn smile.

"Do you know why you're here?" he asked me. I sighed not sure how to answer him. Be sassy and likely be killed before Leon gets here or play dumb? I would vote play dumb...Nah, not my style.

"You had Krauser kidnap me to shove a plaga in my body. After it turns into an adult and I'm fully in your control, you're going ship me back to the States. Then you're going to have me get everyone into the crazy cult and infect the USA with the Las Plagas. Once the States fall under your control, you plan on infecting the whole world with them, right?" I replied dryly, "But then again I'm just guessing."

Saddler smiled, "That is far too perfect to be just a guess. You have must been awake earlier to know all that."

"I guess you could say that." I muttered quietly. There was no way I was going to tell him that I knew all that from a game. But for some reason I couldn't keep my mouth shut. "And I know that you don't trust Krauser even though he followed your orders to the letter. All because he's an American." The cult leader lifted his brows in surprise.

"Ah, so you even know about that." he grinned, "Care to tell me how you know?"

I tighten my jaw and berated myself for telling a little too much. He was still waiting for my answer. "It was just a feeling I had about it. You don't like Americans much anyway."

"True, that I don't. America believes that it should police the world as its own city. You people do need to keep your noses out of other people's businesses or you can cause another war. But I have a way to keep the peace."

"Says the cult leader who believes that he's keeping peace by sticking parasites in everyone. Which by the way, sounds gross." Saddler frowned at me and snapped his fingers. Two Ganados entered the room, both wielding sickels, and stood behind me.

"I don't need your approval for my plans and I grow tired of your batter." He growled and spoke to the two men in spanish, too fast for me to translate and the two removed the ropes. But I did hear the word 'church' as the two grabbed ahold each of my arms and hefted me to the door.

Outside, two more Ganados were waiting and soon I was boxed in between the four of them. They herded me through the village and down some trails that I knew Leon would go through soon enough and sighed. I walked along with them, not so much as making a fuss about where we are going. What? They're armed with axes and sickles. I don't have jack. Besides, why would I run when Leon's on his way anyway? I thanked god that I was wearing comfortable high top boots. I'm gonna be doing a lot of walking with Leon, so I'm not going to complain that my feet are hurting. If Leon could manage this then so can I.

The graveyard, just as creepy in the daylight as it is at night... I froze. Wait! Weren't the Colmillos stationed here at night after Leon deals with El Giante? Oh, shit! He could die by their teeth before he gets a chance to help me! Shit, shit, shit! What to do? I thought fast then an idea came to me. I turned to the nearest Ganado and asked to 'go' behind the church. They looked at each other, discussing it for a bit then finally decided to let me. They led me to the back where the strange dial was, stood guard near the door. Which was all good, I didn't want them to see what I was doing and I couldn't escape since the walls were pretty high.

I scurried over to the dais and took out a piece a paper and a pen from my side pack. I grinned to myself, I never leave home without it. I scribbled out a warning for the infected wolves, how to kill them and how to work the dais. When I looked up from my note and was about to stuff it in the dais, I noticed the object within the dais. It was the _Round Insignia_! I blinked, wasn't the _Green Catseye_ gem the thing Leon finds behind here? I frowned at it then shrugged and stuffed the note into the grate and walked back to the villagers before they got impaitent. They herded me into the church, up the ladder and shoved me into the small, dusty room. Wow, cell-sweet-cell. I _must_ know where they got the idea for the decor. They locked the door and I heard the bars lower. I walked over to a corner and sat down, leaning against the wall, and hoped that Leon would come soon.

Time to wait it out...


	3. Leon S Kennedy! YAY!

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and therefor not mine. Man, I love this song! It fits, right?

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you! Enjoy!!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Two: Leon Kennedy! YAY!

I sat there, leaning against the wall and hugged my knees as I thought of ways to pass the time. An hour later, I heard and felt the loud rings of the church bells as they tolled. I recognized it as the signal to call off the Ganados attacking Leon. My heart leaped at the thought of him. He's here and coming for me! Then went back to the thought of the ringing chruch bells. How or who rang them to call in the Ganados? So far I had only one suspicion; it must've been Ada who rang them. Some time had passed (hours actually) before I got bored of staring at scurring bugs and sleeping. A song popped into my mind and I decided to sing it.

"Prison gates won't open up for me. On these hands and knees I'm crawlin' on, I reach for you..." I sang out softly, "While I'm terrified of these four walls, these iron bars can't hold my soul in and all I need is you. Come please, I'm callin' and oh I scream for you. Hurry I'm fallin', I'm fallin'."

"Show me what its like to be the last one standing and teach me wrong from right. And I'll show you what I can be! Say it for me! Say it to me and I'll leave this life behind me! Say it if its worth savin' me!" I sang, bobbing my head to the song. I was about to sing the next verse when someone else did...

"Heaven's gates won't open up for me. With these broken wings I'm fallin' on, all I see is you!" someone else sang out, "These city walls ain't got no loves for me! I'm on the ledge of the eighteen story and oh I scream for you! Come please, I'm callin' and all I need from you... Hurry, I'm fallin', I'm fallin'..."

My heart screamed in joy and hope as I sang out the next verse, "Show me what its like to be the last one standing and teach me wrong from right! And I'll show you what I can be!"

"Say it for me!"

"Say it to me!"

"And I'll leave this life behind me!"

"Say it if its worth savin' me! Hurry, I'm fallin'!"

The door to my dusty cell opened and a handgun, gripped in the hand of a cute, sweet guy with blonde hair and blue eyes stepped through. It was none other than Leon Scott Kennedy, hero of RE2 and RE4! I leaped to my feet and smiled, refusing to cry in front of him. He holstered his weapon and smiled back at me as he placed one hand on my left shoulder.

"It is worth saving you." he said gently, "My name's Leon. I was sent here by the government of the United States to rescue you. Everything's gonna be fine."

(A/N: Isn't that cute? Made I can make this into sort of identifcation deal, right? If we get seperated, duh we will. We can use the song to let the other know we're not enemies.)

_Hell yeah!_ I quickly suppressed a shriek of joy and the urge to hug-him-and-never-let-go. My god...Leon looks so _damn_ better in real life! _I've died and gone to Resident Evil fangirl and gamer heaven!_ I smiled a little, "Great! It's good to see you, Leon!"

He raised his brows in suprise by my lack of panic about the hostile people and the fact I'm on the otherside of the world. He looks so damn cute when he's shocked. Apparently, he had thought I was going to jump him and be the terrified, hysterical girl who can't so much as walk ten feet without flipping out. But he shrugged it off, probably thanking god that I wasn't, which I did the same. I mean, I played the game. I know what's coming and going to happen. It would be embarrassing for me to be screaming into his ear like this is the first time I've been through this.

"I was notified of your disappearance only several hours after you were taken. I then used government transportation to get here. You weren't easy to track down." Leon said, watching the door closely and I sighed inwardly. I remembered how I was in the game for the first time. _Yeah, I'll be watching the door like that after having chainsaw manaics chase after you while only carrying around a cheap handgun and shotgun. _I nodded in understanding.

"But why would the government go through all this to rescue a mere twenty year old college girl?" I asked in confusion, "I mean, I'm not special. It's not like I'm the President's daughter or anything."

Leon shrugged, "I don't know but I'm not gonna question it." He gave me a sort of grim smile before I realized what I said. Here I was on hostile place; that's filled to the brim with bad guys that want me to insure their success and I'm fucking _**questioning**_ my rescuer. What the hell was I thinking?! I berated myself for being a little cold. "Oh, sorry. I appreciate you for coming."

The agent smiled, "That's okay." He paused in thought and dug around his pockets and fished out a piece of paper. He held it out for me to read. "Where you the one who left this letter for me behind the chruch?" I looked at it and blushed.

_Hey, Leon. _

_Listen, after you get the Round Insigna on your way back to the chruch, be very careful. _

_There are guard dogs (wolves actually) called Colmillos, which is Fangs in spanish._

_These furballs love nothing more than to rip out the throat of their prey (which is you), so before leaving the bridge and heading up the slope, scope out the area with your rifle. You'll see them, ugly doggies with huge maws. Use either the shotgun or an Incendiary Grenade to take them out. If you're looking to save ammo then use the grenade. For some strange reason they're weak to that grenade. _

_Oh, about this dais. _

_You need to solve it in order to take what's here. There are strange symbols on a few of the gravemarkers. They are the key to opening the dais. Here's how to solve it: Turn the dial by three increments three times in a row. Next, turn the dial by four increments three times in a row. Finally, turn the dial by three increments one more time. And tada! you've solved the puzzle and got your treasure! I know you'll do fine and I await you in the chruch. _

_Rally_

"Yeah, that's my handwriting." I grinned sheepishly. Leon smirked as he tucked the note away and brought his handgun again. I looked at it. We really need to get to the castle and upgrade those weapons fast. "Well, thanks a lot. It helped. Really. If you hadn't left this behind then I wouldn't be here now. I'll probably be outside being a wolf's chew toy." He smiled, "What do you say that we get out of here and go home?"

I grinned, "I say, please lead the way!" I waved my hand about the room, gesturing to the barrels and shelves. "But I think it would be best to grab whatever's here first. I think I saw some the villagers stash some ammo here." Leon's brow raised mischievously. "Is that right? Well, how kind of them to leave behind gifts for us to use."

We raided the little room and I helped him cram everything into the case he carried around. I still have no idea how it could just appear out of nowhere whenever he needs it but I didn't question it. I noticed that he didn't have room for the box of handgun ammo that I had taken from the shelf. He sighed as he stared at the interior of the case that was full of weapons (oh, lovely shotgun! Hey, he got the TMP too!), ammo and heal items. And sweet sweet grenades!

"Looks like I'm gonna have to start selling off the grenades or leave them behind..." the agent murmured as he started to remove the little explosives. I thought for a second and smiled. Remember when I said I was going to help Leon like Ashley didn't do? Well, what if I carried some of the stuff for him? Say, like the grenades? He's gonna need them soon enough. He blinked in suprise as I scooped up the grenades, placed a few on my belt and the others in my side pack.

"What are you doing with those?" he asked as I dusted off my blue jeans. I looked up at him and grinned. I probably looked a little silly to him. I mean, I'm wearing a red tie dye T-shirt, blue jeans, black high top boots, a long sleeve shirt tied around my waist that hid my side pack. And now I'm wearing grenades like it was some accessory.

"I'm helping you." I replied, switching a few of the Incendiary grenades for the Flash ones. It was dark and the Ganados will unleash Las Plagas to kill him. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me. "By what? Being my pack mule?"

"No, by helping you carry some items so that you won't be overloaded with stuff. Besides, I need a weapon and I'm giving you some back up."

"Do you even know how to use those?"

"Yeah, it's like tossing a rock. Only things go _boom!_ once this "rock" hits the ground." I said with grin, holding up a Hand Grenade. Leon nodded after thinking about it for a bit. I guess he realized that I can be more helpful to him by taking out some enemies that are trying to come in from behind rather than just warning him about them. He sighed.

"Okay, you win. I just hope you don't accidently make me go _boom!_ when you toss them." he teased as his case magically disappeared on him. That...will always creep me out. He left the room and I eagerly followed, knowing that Saddler is waiting for us by the creepy little altar of his. Leon looked around the room in case that some of the villagers decided to ambush them here. Seeing no one, the agent headed over to the ledge and jumped down gracefully.

I followed and looked a little nervous. He held out his arms out to me, indicating that he'll catch me but I was still a little unsure. I'm five foot, eight inches tall and I weight a little over one hundred fifty pounds. I'm not the type that worries over my weight but I do worry that I may end up hurting Leon when he tries to catch me while injuried. Oh, well. I leaped over the ledge and blushed as Leon caught me, grunting a little. I slipped out of his arms and allowed him to go first as he held up his handgun cautiously. We walked toward the entrance of the little hall...

3...

2...

1...

"I'll take the girl." someone called out suddenly, causing Leon to skid to a stop before the door. He whirled around and glared at the priest. Saddler stood at the altar, pale blue eyes almost glowing in the firelight. That's just plain creepy. I merely turned to him as the agent stood protectively in front of me. I blushed slightly. Leon would do anything to ensure my survival, so I have to return the favor by not being a burden. The agent narrowed his blue eyes at Saddler, obviously not happy to see someone trying to stop him. I sighed. _Get use to it Leon. You're going to hate and glare at this asshole for a pretty long time._

"Who are you?" Leon questioned dangerously.

The priest chuckled and smiled evilly at us. "If you must know, my name is Osmond Saddler, the master of this fine... religious community." he purred darkly, his Plaga Staff plusing as its eye swiveled to look at us. That was just gross.

Leon growled a little. "Religious...right. Care to explain what the hell is wrong with the people living here?" he hissed, gripping his handgun tightly.

"Nothing is wrong. They merely have the gift that I had bestowed upon them. I just need the girl to promote our lovely religion back at her home." Saddler chuckled lightly, smiling at both of us. I felt like puking when he settled his gaze on me. "Please understand, no harm will befall the girl as long as you stay out of my way."

"The locals seem to be a better choice for your little experiment rather than an innocent girl! Why not leave her alone and allow her to go home?" Leon scoffed, "I can be pretty damn annoying if you don't consider freeing her."

"You are already annoying as you are, American agent." Saddler hissed, "Hand over the girl."

The agent snorted, "Fat chance of that happening, chuckles."

The priest narrowed his eyes and frowned, "Then we will take the girl from you by force." He smiled cruely, "But then you could just hand her over when given enough time, my friend."

Leon bristled at the statement, "What did you say?!"

I stepped forward a bit, enough to stand by Leon's side and glared at Saddler. "You gave him the plaga too, didn't you?" My rescuer's eyes widen in suprise then looked between Saddler and me in confusion. The priest chuckled as he snapped his fingers in rememberance.

"Ah, I knew I was forgetting something. You see, I bestowed the same gift to you as I did with the villagers." he answered happily. Leon looked at me still pretty damned confused.

"What?"

"He injected a plaga in you," I gently placed a hand on my neck, "like he did to me."

"While I was unconscious."

"Right."

Saddler laughed, "Oh, I truly hope you like our small, but special contributions. When the eggs hatch, you'll become my puppets. Involuntarily, you'll do as I say. I'll have total control over your mind. Don't you think this is revolutionary way to propagate one's faith?" The agent hissed angrily at the priest like an alleycat. Wow, he's pissed.

"Sounds more like an alien invasion if you ask me!" Leon spat, "Its sick and wrong!"

"I see that you've choosen to be hunted like animals. Very well, then." He turned to Leon and gave him a cruel smile. "You can grieve for your foolishness to the girl's body when you realize that you should have _not_ tried to defy me." The agent raised his weapon and Saddler frowned. The priest snapped his fingers and several cultists burst through the chruch doors, armed with crossbows. The priest smiled, "You can kill the villagers all you like but there are far too many of them and you do not have enough ammunition to take us all out."

He walked away as more cultists arrived with their weapons and Leon growled at them. I blinked in suprise at the sheer number that were trying to get through the doors. This didn't happen in the game! Their glowing eyes fixated on us both and they grinned evilly. The agent pushed me gently behind him as we backed away as slowly as we could, making no sudden movements. I could tell why. A few of these guys are trigger happy and are more than willing to riddle us both full of flaming arrows.

"_Shit._" Leon hissed, keeping his eyes on the cultists. I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah...double shit..." I muttered, hiding somewhat behind him.

This was so wrong on so many levels as the cultists began to close the distance between us and leveled their weapons.


	4. The Dark Village and Dangerous Farm

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and therefor not mine. Man, I love this song! It fits, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry!

My treat for your lovely reviews is a extra long chappy! Enjoy! Please R & R!

Oh, and for the sake of the sotry I expanded some areas of the game to add a little more horror to it. You'll see them when you get to it...say the village?

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Three: Dark Village And The Dangerous Farm

_He's so damn cool!_

Leon only hesitated for a second as he calculated the situation before deciding on his actions. He slowly raised his handgun again and took aim. The cultists' smiles grew wider upon seeing what Leon was about to do. They raised their crossbows and aimed them at the agent. And since they were so focused on Leon...

_BOOM!_

Before Leon could blink, the group of enemies flew every which way and it rained items that they were carrying. Why these guys are carrying ammo for weapons they don't use is beyond me. But it at least they're helping Leon! He quickly looked at me in surprise and I grinned at him. "Told you, I could help. Not my fault they ignored me." He smiled back as we grabbed what we could just as another group of cultists broke in. Leon swore and shifted his gaze around. He spotted the window to our right and I knew what he was thinking. To escape the cultists alive and stay together is to make a break for the window.

He quickly took my hand, I blushed again and we raced for the window. The cultists swore and fired their load of arrows. The deadly arrows pierced the air with a high whine as they were imbedded to the stone pillars. Two narrowly missed my head by a mere inch! They were so close I could feel the heat from the flaming arrows as they whistled past me. I squeezed Leon's hand a bit. There was no way I was letting go of my hero's hand!

At the last minute, Leon let my hand go, crossed his forearms over his face protectively and smashed through the window as I did the same. The very thrill of the whole thing was incredible! The cold, hard glass pressed against my skin for only a second before it shattered, allowing me to pass through. Suddenly, I hit a wall of cold rain and sinister night as the adrenalin sends my heart and mind racing. I landed a little roughly and rolled across the ground, cushioning my fall. I laid there for a bit, regaining my breath and permitting my body to cope with the pain.

It was completely silent (which was creepy) save for the agent's soft panting and the gentle patter of the rain. Still lying not too far from me, Leon managed to prop himself up on his elbows and looked at me. He was still breathing hard, "You okay?" I raised myself a little off the floor and nodded.

"Yeah, I'm okay. A little disturbed at what Saddler said about us. Creepy jerk. You?" I looked at myself and sighed. I was dirty and wet but at least I was out of that cell and here with my hero. I got up and check myself for injuries. I found none.

"I'm fine." Leon answered with a sigh. I guess he's wondering why he gets stuck with pychos chasing him. Ah... Mr. X... I loathed him well. The agent stood and checked his handgun, making sure it wasn't damaged. He was a little more relaxed now but kept an eye on the window. I looked around the small area and sighed. Coming up next was the walk through the village and farm. Oh what fun... At least I get to see Leon blow off some heads! We raided the storage room and finally stepped outside.

We stood out in the open darkness of the night, the soft patter of rain switched to pellets as the storm progressed. Lightning lashed out in the dark, churning sky, illuminating the shadows before us. I knew that the villagers had regained control of the cemetery and are currently blocking our escape route. But I also knew that there was a cart filled with explosives by the cemetery gate. One shot of that and _boom!_ there goes the enemy forces. My hero scanned the area quickly and frowned.

"I don't like this," Leon muttered, "not one damn bit."

"Tell me about it." I muttered back as one of the villagers, fed up on waiting for us, rushed past the cart with a torch in hand. He rushed up to Leon and inhaled deeply, taking the agent by surprise. I yelped in shock and told my rescuer to shoot the Ganado's arm. The agent quickly shook off the numbness and fired at the enemy's arm. With his attack disrupted and inhaling too deeply, the fire on the torch backfired and set him aflame.

The Ganado shrieked in pain and rage as the fire consumed his body and staggered back, trying to put out the fire. After a few seconds my nostrils were filled with terrible smell of burnt human flesh as the Ganado fell and died. I turned away slightly. In the game, seeing this was a good thing and cool. But in real life where you can actually see and smell the flames burn an actual person, it isn't pretty. I felt like puking at the time but couldn't afford to when the angry shouts of the other Ganados grew louder. I urged Agent Kennedy to move on.

"Look, there's a cart there!" I declared, pointing at the little wooden cart, parked by the gates, "Shoot it and see what happens!" Leon looked down the path and saw the others running up to us, he backed away enough to shoot the cart. The cart jolted under the gunfire, caught fire and rattled down the path. The two opposing forces met at the center of the path and the cart exploded, sending the villagers into the air. They came crashing back down several seconds later, dropping their wares but there were still two left to deal with, one with an axe and the other wielding a torch. And they were coming at us from both sides. Leon saw this and gently pushed me toward the little cabin at the end of the path.

"Quick, get inside and I'll deal with these two."

"But-"

"I'm _not_ letting these guys harm you, okay? They're only attacking me but you could get caught in the crossfire." the agent murmured and gave me a sad look. A look I recognized. "Please?"

I nodded quickly and ran for the tiny house. The two Ganados watched me go and veered after me. I heard Leon curse and open fired to keep them away from me. I uttered a frighten cry as an axe flew past me and imbedded itself into the wooden wall. It was at head height and Leon swore again at the act. I flew inside the house and whirled around to face the door. If those two get near me, I'll give 'em a taste of a Hand grenade as a gift! I was ready for them as they merely stood in front of the house a few feet away blocking the door. They were still too far for me to toss the grenade and they were busy trying to get at handsome agent. I was ready for those two...not the one who was hiding behind me.

I cried out in shock as two strong hairy arms grabbed me from behind. I yelled out in anger as Don Manuel hefted me over his shoulder like a sack of peanuts and walked out the house as if he done this before. And he probably did after Saddler infected most the villagers with Las Plagas and had the infected gather and bring him the uninfected. I flailed wildly in attempt to free myself. I could use a grenade but I'll end up getting caught in the blast. I kicked and punched as fast and hard as possible but the Ganado shrugged it off and continued to walk to the cemetery's exit. _Oh, SHIT!_ _It's game over for both of us if I get hauled off! _

I sighed. I was hoping to avoid pulling off an Ashley and scream for help but there's just no choice now. I inhaled deeply.

"_LEEEOOON!_" I screamed, loud enough for the jerk who had me to pause and flinch. The agent finished off the stragglers and looked at me. We both stared at each other for only two seconds before I saw the rage flash across his blue eyes. He aimed the gun at Don Manuel's head, lowered it and fired at the man's legs. He stumbled and loosened his grip enough for me to twist my lower body and slam my knee into his nose. He roared in pain and anger, clutched at his bleeding nose and threw me to the ground. Once I was out of harm's way, Leon blasted him in the back with the shotgun. Don Manuel cried out in pain before letting out a pitful moan and died, dropping some shotgun ammo.

Leon rushed to my side and helped me up, looking at me with concern. "Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?" he asked and I told him that I was fine. After grabbing what we can, we left the cemetery via the underground tunnel and ran into the merchant. _Hail the great merchant, master of artillery!!_

"Ahe haha! Welcome!" the merchant greeted, lifting his cloak to reveal all the stuff he was carrying. I whistled at all the damn items he had. Things are just too damn cool to question. "Did ya get the chance to try out the Punisher, stranger?" the merchant asked as Leon purchased several upgrades for the shotgun. I looked at Leon in surprise. _He got the Punisher?! Since when?!_ The agent shook his head and thanked the merchant.

"Leon, can I use the Punisher?" I asked timidly, catching the two's attention. The merchant noticed the grenades looped around my waist then looked at Leon, who stared at me in surprise. Apparently, he didn't expect me to ask for a gun but here I was asking for one.

"Uh...Do you know how to use one?" the agent asked me. I blinked for a second and shook my head slowly. _Damn, I didn't think he would ask me that._ He sighed, "I'll let you use it once I teach you how to shoot, okay? That's if we get a break from the villagers."

"Okay." I agreed and turned to leave when I remembered something. I turned back to face the merchant and smiled. "Hey, do you have the Chicago Typewriter yet?" The merchant blinked in surprise at the question. _Wow, that's a first. He's surprised._

"Chicago Typewriter?" Leon questioned and I grinned. I knew he was interested in the weapon. I nodded eagerly. "It's a really old but very powerful weapon! Think of it as the grandfather of the TMP!"

"Aye, it be powerful but not for sale yet. I still have to finish it and ya bet it'll be pricey." the merchant muttered, "Lass, how did ya know I had such a weapon?"

_Oh, snap! I forgot that I was suppose to keep my mouth shut unless it was necessary._ I fumbled for an answer, "Uh... well..." I smiled, "You are the master of artillery! Such a powerful weapon like that should be in your hands right?" I smiled widely as the merchant just stared at me. And from the looks of it, he wasn't buying it. He glanced at Leon, who was looking at him strangely and then back to me. He nodded in agreement.

"Aye, I guess ya can say that." the merchant said smugly, knowing fully well that I was trying to hide my knowledge from the agent. Leon bought it (no not the weapon), thankfully, and we left the tunnel, the merchant watching us go.

We soon emerged from the ladder and into the insignia house by the village tower. I shuddered at the rememberance of this place. In the game, not only did I have to protect myself from the villagers but Ashley as well. Which made it difficult since they attack from behind and either hit Ashley or carry her off. I got game over in this area twice before realizing that I shouldn't always believe in plan A. Plan B, which I made on the fly while going through this a third time was to run for the tower. Leave Ashley up there while positioning Leon by the foot of the ladder and blast enemies as they shuffled toward the open doorway of the tower.

And it worked. The villagers didn't attack Ashley since they didn't know where she was and they didn't throw the Molotov Cocktails at her since she was far from the window, thus not being seen by the enemies. Also, I was able to clear the village easily by having them come to Leon instead of me having to hunt them down, meaning I save ammo! I wondered if it would work here too...

"Back again, back again. Jiggy jig." Leon muttered as he gazed at the dark interior of the house. I smiled at the quote. It was from Arabian Knights, formerly known as The Thief And The Cobbler. I shook off the thought and headed for the window and peeked through the boarded space out into the open darkness. I could see _nothing_ outside. Maybe the dark shapes of the buildings but no villagers. Man, can they hide or what?

"See anything, Rally?" Agent Kennedy asked while checking his supplies.

I shook my head, "No, I don't see anything, Leon. In fact I can't see jack thanks to the pitch black of night and stormy weather." _This sucks. _

"That sucks." the agent muttered, standing next to me by the window. "Either way, we have to leave in order to get you home." _True. And I've said it before and I'll say it again...This sucks._ He reached for the door's handle and I stopped him for a second, already deciding on what should we do. He looked at me in surprise and I squashed the urge to grin at his expression.

"Wait, Leon. Can I make a suggestion?"

"Yeah."

"If there are Ganados out there waiting for us," I started. _Which I know they are_. "We should make a break for the village tower."

"I tried that and nearly got barbequed by Molotov Cocktails these guys suddenly threw at me." Leon muttered bitterly, "I don't think that's safe. Maybe we should run for the two story house..."

"And risk having Dr. Salvador showing up?" I questioned. I knew for damn sure that the chainsaw maniac won't show up here at this time but he didn't know. The agent blinked in confusion.

"Dr.-_what_?"

"It's the chainsaw maniac. The freak with a bag over his head? I saw a couple of them while I was dragged over to the church."

"Ah, him." He shuddered in rememberance of the crazy chainsaw-wielding killer. I knew how he felt. Seriously, I did. I remembered how I felt when I first saw Dr. Salvador carrying his chainsaw. I had freaked out so badly that I accidently got Leon killed. It wasn't pretty. I had screamed in terror as Leon's head was severed from his body. The second time, I merely screamed and had Leon run all over the village, dodging the maniac. That ended in his death too. I finally was able to kill the chainsaw maniac but wasted a lot ammo doing so.

"If your orders are to protect me at all costs then bringing the chainsaw-wielding maniac-" I questioned seriously, which the agent quickly caught on.

"-really wouldn't be protecting you. Yeah yeah, I got it." he sighed, "The tower it is then."

We quickly discussed a plan then got ourselves ready before heading out. We crept out of the insigna house and saw no immediate attack. As I closed the door behind us...

_Creeeeeaaak!_

"Por ahí!" one villager cried and soon the sound many footsteps were heard coming our way.

Leon gave me an irritated glare and I glared back. "Hey, it's not my fault they don't oil their fucking doors!" I hissed as we quickly made a run for the tower.

The villagers ran from their hiding places and charged at us, adding real terror to the night. We dodged and weaved between them, heading for the tower. Between the thundering clouds, flashing lightning, dark shadows, the shrieks of rage and bloodlust of the villagers... It was far from the "terror" of the game. In fact, this wasn't a game anymore. There are no cheats, no continues and definitly no reset buttons. This was a real nightmare, real fear, real death. This is the _real_ survival horror. One wrong move and we both die or worse be controlled by the plagas.

As soon as I realized that fact, my body froze. The villagers continued to rush at me, aiming to haul me away or just plain rip me to shreds. I knew that I should follow Leon toward the tower, to get away from the Ganados. I knew that but my body wouldn't respond. I knew it wasn't the plaga, it hadn't grown that much yet. I could hear Leon screaming at me to move, to follow, to just get to the tower but my body still wouldn't move. I merely stood there as one of the villagers made a grab for me, I didn't scream just stared.

_Cha-chuck...BOOM!_

The male villager's head exploded in gory chucks of brain and bone before the Ganado could touch me. One minute I'm staring at the Ganado's prone form, the next Leon is dragging me over to the tower's open arch and pushed me to the ladder. I didn't really hear what my hero said but knew he was cursing about what was going on. I quickly climbed the ladder before Leon could yell at me to do so. Once I was up there, the agent told me stay and started to blast any enemies that dared to come near the archway.

I stood there, in the safety of the second floor, and listened to the battle being raged below. I listened to the agent's cries of pain, the villagers' bellows of rage and suddenly, I heard them. The shrill shrieks of the plagas that emerged from the necks of their hosts and my hero's cry of disgust. I quickly shoved the paralyzing fear aside and fished out a Flash grenade.

"Leon! Cover your eyes!" I called down, aiming carefully.

"What?!"

"FLASH!"

I prayed that Leon heard me and threw the little blue grenade at the group of plaga carriers. The second it touched the ground the grenade exploded, letting loose an intense flash of light. The plagas' excited cries instantly switched to shrieks of pain as their bodies, if you call them that, disintegrated into nothingness by the harsh light. The Ganados' bodies dropped like dead weight, since they were anyway, and littered the ground before my rescuer.

Leon was in a defensive stance and slowly brought his arms down away from his face. He blinked at the littered bodies and looked up at me. He smiled at me and climbed the ladder to join me. I backed away from the edge to allow him to pull himself up. Once he was in the second floor, he turned to me with a worried expression. I sighed, I knew what he was going ask.

"Want to tell me what happened back there?" he asked gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. I lowered my gaze until I was looking at the wooden floor.

"I'm sorry. I just froze up there." I muttered lamely, "I guess seeing them all coming at us like a tide on stormy weather, I froze."

"More like the fear finally got to you and that's what paralyzed you."

"Yeah...I guess you're right."

Leon turned away slightly and decided to change the subject. "We're done here, let's go see what they dropped for us." I gently grabbed his arm and shook my head. I tugged him back to the window that faced toward the entrance to the village.

"Hey, do your binoculars have night vision?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Take out them out and check the roof of the two story." I pointed out in the general direction of the two story house, which was difficult to tell since it was so dark.

Leon did so and scoped out the place. There was a male Ganado standing there with his arm raised and armed with a sickel. I saw the agent frown for second before grinning. The Ganado didn't notice us looking at him, he was watching intently at the archway below us. Apparently, he was waiting for Leon to step into view and fling his weapon at him. An idea formed in my head and I grinned. I told Leon of my little prank and he agreed. He went down below and waited for my signal. I pulled out my slingshot that I had tucked into my side pack and looked around for something small enough to use as ammo. I found several small rocks in the corner of the floor and loaded my slingshot.

"Ready?" I asked my hero and got a snicker from him. That's a yes! "Okay, wait for my whistle and head for the house."

"Got it!"

I turned to the window, aimed my slingshot at the Ganado's head...and fired. I whistled loudly, catching Don Pablo's attention. He looked up in time to have a rock in his eye. He yelled out in anger and pain, clutching his face and glaring at me with his good eye. He turned toward the window and I fired my slingshot again, hitting him in the back of his head. He whirled around to face my position and threw his sickle. The bladed weapon pierced the air with a shrill whistle and I ducked. It flew past me and struck the stone wall. I popped back up and retaliated with another rock to his left ear. He glared at me with rage burning in his eerie glowing eyes. I ignored him and watched as Leon stepped up from behind the Ganado and aimed his weapon. Upon hearing the soft click of Leon's shotgun, Don Pablo wheeled around and yelled out in anger.

"Te voy a matar!"

"Enemies first." Leon offered and fired the shotgun into the Ganado's gut, killing him without fear of the plaga popping out to attack.

We raided what was left on the village grounds, together obviously, and headed for the gate that led to the farm. Aw, shit. The farm was one area I hated but easier to deal with since I could just leave Ashley in the dumpster and kill the enemies... _Wait... I have to wait in the dumpster?! _EW! _Curse you, Ashley!_

We stepped through the gate and instantly went into defensive stance, ready to take on anything. Why _I_ did that, I'm not really sure. I know Leon would do that, but me? I know the enemies aren't going to do anything unless you announce your presence. Which should have been now, since there was gunfire just on the otherside of the gate... Oh, nevermind. These guys are idiots. Dangerous and deadly, but stupid none the less.

Next to us was a conveniently placed small dumpster, colored in a disgusting rusty red. Ewww... _Please, Leon, don't tell me to stay._ The agent looked at me then at the dumpster. I could see the idea forming in his head. _Don't you dare think about it! There's no way I'm staying in there!_

"Rally?" Leon asked softly, turning to me.

"Yeah?"

"Will you...?" He gazed at the rusty container. _Say no, Rally! Just say no!_ "...hide here? I don't want you freezing up and getting hurt, okay? Is that okay with you?" _No, it's not okay! It's small and smelly and..._

I nodded, "Yeah, sure. Whatever you think that keeps me safe." _DAMNIT!!! You win this time, evil little soft spot for Leon in my heart! You win this round but the next one is mine!_ I shoved my thoughts aside. Damn my mind for being so cold. Leon opened the lid of the container carefully and helped me inside. I sat on my legs as the agent closed the lid and left. I listened to his footsteps until they disappeared under the sounds of soft thunder. Seconds later, I heard the angry cries of the villagers, Leon's guns blazing and his cute battlecries. Oh, he's using his cute and sexy kick! Go, Leon! Go, Leon! Go go!

After a minutes of battling, there was silence. The battle was over but I knew my hero was checking the place out to really make sure that all was clear. Oh! He's whistling! The place was safe enough to come out. I shoved open the lid and hopped out. I looked around the dark farm and didn't see Leon anywhere. How did Ashley do this? I mean, seriously, how in the world does she know where he is by listening only to his whistle? I sighed. Oh well, I guess Leon's over by the barn. That's the most logical place he'll be. Besides, we need to get through the barn to leave the village.

I ran for the barn and smiled as I found Leon standing on the loft of the barn, standing in a way that I couldn't see his right side. I climbed the ladder to join and beamed at him. He grinned back and turned to leave when I saw something on his back. There was a long angry gash on his back. My hands flew up to my mouth at the severity of the cut. _Oh my god!_ My hands shot forward and grabbed Leon's forearm, stopping him in his tracks.

"Hold it right there, Leon! You're hurt!" I cried and turned him around to question why he didn't tell me. I guess I must've spun him too quickly or too roughly as he let out a soft yelp of pain. I blinked in confusion, spinning him like that doesn't hurt the gash on his back. Unless... his right side! He stood showing me his left side! Damnit! I looked at his right side and nearly shrieked in terror. There was blood covering the right side of his shirt and pant leg! Some of it wasn't his but most of it was! I check over his side and gasped at the gash that was there, just above his hip. It was deep. I checked his arm and found several claw marks made by one of the village women. That's it!

"Damnit, Leon!What are you trying to do? Bleed the plaga out?!" I barked, holding out my hand and motioning him to fork over a First Aid Spray. "Why didn't you tell me you were injuried?!" He sighed, opening up his case and I grabbed the nearest spray.

"Sorry, I didn't want you to worry." he murmured then hissed as I lifted his shirt a little; (not for any other reason you pervs!) enough for me to spray the healing mist on his injury. The gash bubbled and fizzed as it killed any bacteria, encouraged new cells to grow and heal the wound.

"Why not? You're my escort, my protector...and my friend." I muttered back softly, "If you die from injuries that I could've helped heal then I may as well take your gun and shoot myself."

"Don't say that. You can still make it out without me."

"Don't you say that. How can I make it out if my rescuer is dead? It's not like I can find cab out here and hitch a ride back to the States." I growled, "Besides...your mission fails either way if one of us dies. To put it simply, we get game over. If you die, I'll be a puppet to Saddler and his plan is achieved. If I die, you'll be the puppet and be Saddler's bodyguard or be the one to achieve his plans." I shook the little spray can and discovered it's still half full. I looked at his back and held the spray to it. "Hey, lift the back of your shirt. Slowly now, so you don't irritate the wound."

He complied and lifted his shirt for me. As I sprayed the wound, I was blushing like crazy but I knew he had feelings for either Claire or Ada. Maybe both. Besides, he's older than me. I'm not saying that he isn't hot, those who think that are blind. I'm not really into dating yet. And I'm not the type who tries to steal guys. Those girls are known as sluts. Can you say sluts, boys and girls? (You fan girls are just loving this aren't you? Leon lifting his shirt to a young woman... Remember there's no romance between me or him! That'll be just sick. And no, don't ask me to make this into a romance thing.)

"Huh, I never really thought of it like that." he murmured, "But the way you looked as you stood there in the village. You were completely petrified by something and I thought you had enough to worry about. So I didn't show or tell you that I was injuried. I thought that if you saw how bad my injuries were then you freak out and call attention to yourself. Or you end up feeling guilty like this was all your fault or something."

"So, you've been drawing their attention to yourself and hoped that they ignored me. And keep me from feeling guilty."

"Right."

"Well, don't. Once they kill you, they'll come after me anyway and I don't feel guilty. Unless I really did cause you to get hurt. Besides, there's no way anyone can get by here without getting a few scrapes." I sprinkled powdered green herb onto the claw marks that marred his arm.

Once all the injuries were healed, we went around the second floor of the barn, leaped off the roof of some shack, avoided the bear traps and walked toward the large wooden gates. Leon studied the door and sighed. It was locked, but from the other side and there wasn't a key anywhere. The agent stood at the base of the door and looked up at the rim high above us. Piggyback it is.

"Damn, looks like you're going to have to go over the top." he muttered, turning to me. "I can't get past this without you. I think you're tall enough to climb over if you get on my shoulders."

"See? Aren't you glad that I healed you? I weigh a little more than 150 pounds. If I didn't heal you and stood on you shoulders..."

He grinned sheepishly and chuckled a little. "Yeah, I got your point." He knelt down before the gate motioned me to get on. (not like that, pervs!) I blew out my breath as I looked at the gate. I wasn't really sure about this. I know there isn't anyone on the other side of the gate but still. Just because I know what's going to the happen, thanks to the game, doesn't really mean that it'll follow the rules of the game.

I sighed. There's no other way to get by here. We can't go back, not that we want to, so there's no choice but to move forward. "You're scared that someone is over on the other side, aren't you?" Leon asked as he straightened out, his gaze full of concern. I nodded as he placed his hands on my shoulders. I looked up and saw him smile at me. "Don't worry. You've got grenades. If you see any of the villagers, toss a grenade and watch 'em go _boom!_"

That's right, I did have grenades! "Thanks Leon." I said with a smile. He walked back and knelt down again. I walked over and carefully climbed onto his back. I planted each foot on his shoulders and tried to keep my weight balanced evenly on my feet. "Alright, I'm ready." He slowly stood and I ran my hands carefully up the gate to steady myself. Once he was fully upright , I was able to see the just over the gate. Yes! I was tall enough! I scanned the area and saw no one there. Double yes! But the fall isn't going to be fun. Damn...

"Okay, the coast is clear, Leon. Keep your head down, I don't want to accidently kick you in the face when I'm climbing over, okay?"

"Sure."

"Okay, here goes nothing." I gripped the edge of the door and pulled my upper body up. I twisted a little and clawed my feet at the surface to get my legs over. Leon kept low to avoid my swinging legs and stepped back. I swung my legs over and sat at the top awkwardly. I paused there and let my body rest for a bit. I finished my break and leaped over the side, landing roughly on my feet. The shock and pain shot up my legs, causing me to tip over and land on my butt.

"Ow, that sucked." I muttered bitterly, dusting off my pants and shirt.

"Are you okay? Did you land wrong?" Leon's muffled voice came through the gate.

"Ah, yeah, a little."

"Do you see a key there?"

"No. There's no key, Leon." I looked at the wooden planked jammed into the gate's handles. "I see a wooden plank."

"Oh, really? Can you remove it?"

"Yeah." I walked over to it and pulled at it. I pulled and yanked but it didn't budge. Damnit, it must be jammed in pretty good. "Uh, Leon. It won't move."

"Is it jammed?"

"I think so..." I took a closer look at it. Aw _fuck_. "Shit. No it's not jammed!"

"What is it then?"

"It's fucking nailed to the gate!" This didn't happen in the game. _Ashley, you lucky bitch!_

"Aw fuck." Agent Kennedy griped. I scowled at the gate.

"Tell me about it." I growled and looked at the plank, "I would ask you to shoot at it but the gate's too thick." I kicked at the piece of wood and glared at the nails that bound it to the gate. I took one of my grenades and rolled it in my hands as we both tried to find a way to open this damn gate. I glanced at the grenade in my hands then noticed it was a Hand grenade. I looked at it then at the gate and saw a boulder nearby. A crazy idea formed in my head. Leon can't blast it open, but I can! The gate is thick but not thick enough to shrugged off a grenade blast.

"Hey, Leon!"

"What?"

"I'm going to blast this thing open!"

"You're going to do what?!"

"Blast it open! I'll use one of my grenades to blast the plank off!"

"But you'll be caught in the blast!"

"No I won't! There's a boulder here that I can hide behind! You need to hide in either the barn or the little shack behind you. It's kinda hidden by the firewood."

"Okay! But one question!"

"What?"

"How are you going to pull the pin and run for safety? Once the pin is pulled it gives you three seconds to get away. That's not enough time for you to hide."

Damn. Good point. I looked into my side pack and didn't find any string to use. Crap, how indeed? I looked at the shirt tied around my waist and noticed that some thread had come undone and was trailing down behind me. I grinned.

"Don't worry! I've got that covered! Just go take cover!"

"Okay!"

I pulled at the thread until it was long enough by my standards and tore it away from my shirt. I jammed the grenade carefully in between the plank and gate so it would really be blown apart by the full brunt of the blast. I looped one end around the pin, tied it tightly but carefully. Once that was done, I began to walk backwards toward the boulder as I fed the line to keep going. I hid behind the boulder and tighten my grip on the thread. I took a deep breath.

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!" I yelled and yanked on the thread, pulling the pin out. I quickly dropped the thread and covered my ears.

Three seconds later...

_BOOM!_

The gate blew apart and pieces of wood rained from the heavens. I ducked my head down and waited for the chaotic rain to stop. I heard footsteps and Leon appeared around the boulder with a grin on his face. "Hey, it worked!" he said and helped me up. We both turned to look at the gate... or what was left of the gate. The blast had torn a huge hole in it and both doors were hanging limply on their hinges. Wow. Now that's a blast!

"Nice thinking, Rally." Leon praised and I grinned childishly. That was so much fun!

"Thanks a lot, Leon." I thanked him, "I've always wanted to do that!"

"I imagine everyone does sometime in their life."

"True."

"Well, let's get out of here before any more villagers drop by."

"Yeah.Whew, what a rush!"

"Tell me about it." the agent laughed, "Hey, look! There's the merchant. Maybe I can upgrade my weapons." I froze when he said that. He pulled ahead to get his upgrades as I trotted after him. I stopped next to him and saw the bridge. Beyond that bridge was a lone house... Fear crept over my heart as I stared at the forsaken home and the things that are to come. One my most feared areas of the village and we were here. I sighed sadly.

Ass kissing son of a fucking bitch.

The cabin.


	5. Crowded Cabin Chaos!

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and therefor not mine. Man, I love this song! It fits, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry!

My treat for your lovely reviews is a extra long chappy! Enjoy! Please R & R!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Four: Crowded Cabin Chaos!

_NOOO! Crazy cabin crazy cabin crazy cabin!_

I merely stared out at the shadows as my mind continued to scream the same two words. I turned away from the bridge to look at Leon. I figured that I could tell him that coming here was a mistake and we should ask the merchant if he could hide us 'til this whole thing blows over. I sighed. I had decided then to tell my hero that being here means that we are playing right into Saddler's trap. There is no helicopter rescue, at all. This whole rescue thing was exactly what the religious maniac wanted. That things will get worse from here on in and he could get hurt or killed trying to save me...

I breathed slowly, calming myself down. Telling him would be best for the both of us. But as he turned to me, I saw the joy on his face. The relief in his blue eyes firmly believing that we are finally escaping this nightmare. That look alone broke my heart. I couldn't tell Leon that he was going to undergo through so many trials to get to me, only to see me get ripped away from him yet again. My eyes suddenly widen.

_Ah, shit! Krauser! Leon could die in that damn cool but very hard knife fight!_

I guess I worried him because he was looking into my eyes with concern. His image wavered a bit and I noticed that I was crying. Aw, man! Talk about embarrassment! I'm crying in front of my favorite RE hero character!

"Hey, hey! What's wrong?" The gentleness in his concerned voice caused a lump to form in my throat and made me want to cry some more. Why did he have to be so damn nice?!

"Hey, it's okay. There's a helicopter on its way here, it'll pick us up and we'll be outta here!" he said softly, trying to reassure me. If I was a cruel person, I would have laughed at his attempt and tell him that we were fucked. But I'm not like that, he's trying too damn hard to drop the bomb now.

"Sorry, I'm just happy to get out of here." I lied, rubbing the tears from my eyes and I heard him chuckle. I managed a smile as he guided me over to the wooden bridge and began to cross. Absentmindedly, I followed him across, too intent in keeping Leon happy.

"You were so overjoyed that you cried?" he asked lightly and I giggled, punching him lightly in the arm.

"You would be too, if you were in my shoes."

_Crreeee!_

The loud protest of rickety wood interrupted our conversation and grabbed my attention. I looked around wildly, just now realizing that we were over the bridge. _Ah shit! Are we over the midpoint of the bridge?_ It looked about we were about a step away from the midpoint but I wasn't sure. I turned to him with panic in my eyes. I had to tell him and I had to tell him _now_!

"Leon! Listen to me! We have to get off this bridge!" I cried, grabbing his forearms tightly. Leon pulled his arms away and tried to grab me by the shoulders.

"Rally, calm down."

"No, you're not listening to me!"

"Calm down."

"Leon, we _need_ to get off this bridge now! Our lives are in danger!"

"Calm down, Rally. It's just a creaky bridge, nothing to worry about."

"I'm not talking about the damn bridge!" I yelled angrily at him, half scared and half frustrated. My outburst shocked the agent and caused him to back away a step... right into the midway point. Aw...shit...I just made him trigger the event.

I mentally screamed at myself. _Argh!!! What have I done!? DAMNIT!! Wait... if we're lucky they won't know we're here and won't come..._

"¡Por ahí!" The familiar, annoying shriek of the villager cutting through the stillness of the night just behind us. _Son of a bitch!_ Instinctively, we both whirled around and -just like I hated- a large wave of Ganados, each armed with a torch and weapon, were charging straight for us.

Leon automatically grabbed my wrist and we both raced across the rest of the bridge, reaching the other side. That horde of Ganados just reached the bridge when we touched ground but unfortunately ahead of us, on the other side of the area were two log gates. Those gates -the same ones we have to go through- were lifting off the ground and another wave of enemies poured out of there like rushing rapids, yelling and waving their torches. Lightning clawed the dark sky and thunder roared through the air, the storm has returned with avengence. I felt Leon turn cold with both fear and anger. I guess he must've known I was too when he squeezed my hand a little.

"Leon, I don't think I have enough grenades to take half of these guys out."

The agent glanced between the two tides, and the conveniently placed cabin, assessing the situation quickly. I knew exactly what he was thinking. "Hate to say it, but we're sandwiched all right!" He motioned toward the damn cabin, "Quick! In that cabin!"

_I hate you cabin! You hear me?! HATE!!_

We sprinted toward the cabin and Leon motioned me to stay right behind him as he opened the door. He swept the interior of the first floor with his gun and stepped in quickly. I followed suit and quickly slammed the door closed. As soon as I closed the door, Agent Kennedy started shoving bookcases into position in front of the boarded windows. I stood next to the weathered table to stay out of my hero's way. Leon approached the door, trying to figure out how to lock it, when a pipe sailed over my head, which he snatched out of the air and jammed it in place.

Ah, Luis Sera! I hid a smile as he sauntered over as if he owned the place. He probably did, I'm not too sure. "Small world, eh?" So even in real life the dialogue doesn't change much from the game. How cool is that? He flashed his charming smile at me. "You must be Rally, the damsel in distress." he purred as he made his way toward me and held out his hand. "I am Luis Sera, and I'm on your side. That picture Leon showed me earlier didn't stray from the truth- you are a _hot_ little thing."

I grinned at his attempt. So typical but still cute, no wonder he's one of my favorites in the game. "In order of what you said so far: Yes. Yes. In distress but far from helpless. Looks to me that your not on my side but trying to be by my side. And thank you for the lovely compliment."

Luis looked a little surprised and turned to Leon, "Is she...uh...?"

The agent grinned, "Don't worry, she's cool."

I grinned back, "I'm not the cool one, you and Luis are, Leon. I'm just a girl who happens to know how to make things go _boom!_"

Luis grinned at me and chuckled softly, "Really? So you're not the nervous breakdown type?"

"Nope." I quipped happily, "And you can stop flirting with me right now, Luis. Dangerous situations plus flirting equals everyone's deaths."

"How's that?"

"¡Te voy a matar!"

We all whirled around toward one of the windows that faced the village farm. From small space between the boards we saw that the flood of Ganados were inching ever closer to the cursed cabin. The first group had arrived on the other side of the wooden bridge, which ment that the other half was just as close to us as they are. I wanted to rant at that moment but held back my rage.

"That's why." I muttered, glaring at them as they continued their rentless march. Leon scowled and shoved the bookcase into place, bringing out his handgun as Luis brought out his Red 9. Ooh shiny!

"Rally, hide upstairs. Luis, you're with me." he ordered curtly. I nodded and scurried up the steps. I paused at the top step as the first whine of creaking wood was heard and I waited.

"Okay, it's game time." Luis mused and he cocked his gun. Damn, I love that line! I kept low and out sight of the windows as I made for the wardrobe sitting by the wall. I guess Ashley hid in there...what fun. Leon and Luis are risking their lives to save mine and I get stuck playing 'Hide From The Bad Guys Like A Sissy.'

Gunshots rang out downstairs as the Ganados attempted to break into the cabin. Wood splintered loudly as the first one broke through the boarded window. I could hear Luis swearing and firing madly in that direction. "They're all over the place!"

"Well, no fucking duh!" Leon griped loudly over the gunshots as another group broke through the bookcase, "Goddamnit!"

_CRASH! _There went the front door.

"Jesus Christ!"

BLAM!

BLAM!

"Did you sent out those invitations?" Luis joked, "I told you no more than fifty people!" Lovely line.

BANG!

BANG!

"Luis, shut up before I shove my foot up your ass and shoot you in the back!" Oooh, Leon's pissed.

_"Screeeee...!" _

_Whip!_

"Argh!"

Okay, fuck hiding! I scurried back to the steps, bounded down with a Flash grenade in hand and met with a horrible sight. Every Ganado in that room had revealed their plagas. Their sickening squeals and whipping tentacles filled the air as well as their disgusting smell. Did Leon forget to not aim for the head or was it Luis? No time for that now 'cause more villagers were trying to push their way through the first group.

"RALLY!"

I whirled around and saw Leon and Luis next to the stairs...but they weren't in control of the fight! Two normal Ganados had them pinned to the wall by their necks, their guns on the floor by their feet. Damn, these guys are strong! The two villagers were strangling my two heroes and holding them for Las Plagas villagers to chop their heads off.

"What are you doing here?!" Leon croaked angrily, rage in his blue eyes. He was turning slightly blue and struggling to breathe but I knew he really wasn't mad at me. He just thought I was crazy to come down and let the enemies see me. And I was. I was crazily pissed to see them doing this to my heroes.

"Looks to me that I'm saving your ass!" I called back and chucked the little blue grenade into the group as they swiveled their icky eyes toward me. Leon growled slightly but he and Luis saw the grenade and they both kicked their villagers away, diving for the floor and their guns. Apparently Leon wasn't fast enough, when one plaga villager whipped its razor sharp bony tentacle in his direction and caught him across his lower back. A large angry gash formed and blood gushed from it. It was the last thing that damn plaga managed to do before the grenade went off and a brillant flash erupted within the room.

Las Plagas villagers shrieked as they disintegrated and the normal ones cried out in pain. I'm pretty sure those outside who were dumb enough to look into the room were blinded as well. I tried to run down the stairs and help Leon but Luis bounded up the steps and pushed me back up as the next wave rushed in.

"Luis! Leon's hurt!" I cried but he refused to let me go.

"Listen, I know that but he doesn't want these guys knowing you're here. We're thankful for your help but don't do that again unless its necessary. So please, do him this favor and stay up here."

I pouted but was a little flattered that Leon cared this much. _Well, duh! He's the hero! And a gentleman. Besides, he risked his life to save Sherry in Raccoon, remember? _"Fine, but take these." I handed him a couple of Flash Grenades. He thanked me and returned downstairs to help Leon. Damn the cute blonde guy who had all the First Aid Sprays for being so stubborn.

_CRASH!_

I stifled a scream of fright as tiny shards of glass rained down from my left. I snapped my head to the window and saw the tip of the ladder resting on the bottom frame of the window. _Holy shit!_ I sprang up and wrung my hands but kept away from the window. _Oh! Not good! Not good! _It only been five mintues and the Ganados are already attacking the second story?! That can't be right, they're only suppose to attack it in about ten to fifteen mintues. I breathed out slowly and kept low to the floor. I'm still a part of the team and I need to help Leon and Luis from being overwhelmed.

I crept toward the windowsill as the Ganado, Don Pablo, climbed the ladder. I sprang up and shoved him and the ladder away from the window. As he tipped back, I shot back to crouched position and heard him scream as he pitched over and landed on the group below. There was a loud, sick _crack_! and he was out permanently. Score! One down and about thirty or forty left to go.

"Rally?! Are you okay? What's going on up there?!" Leon called up worriedly. _Shit! What to do? What to do?!_

"I'm fine! It's nothing!" I called back. _Liar! I hate lying to him!_

_CRASH!_

Oh, COME ON! Damnit!

"What was that!?" Luis called up which followed up by a couple of gunshots.

"Nothing!" I scurried over to the other window and pushed the ladder back without revealing myself to the villagers. Just wait a few mintues, you damn villagers! Wait ten goddamn minutes!

_CRASH!_

_CRASH!_

_Argh!! Fuck!_ The struggle below was intensely loud and I knew I was basically on my own on the second floor. No wonder this is the most intense part of the game...well part of the village actually. I raced to the two newly broken windows and pushed the ladders off while still trying to keep out of sight. Both men fell from the ladders and out of my hair for the moment.

Then came the bad news...

"La chica esta aquí!" one villager screamed. I assumed it was one of the ones I shoved away and suddenly all four ladders slammed against the walls. Oh...SHIT! They know I'm here! I raced back and forth knocking the ladders over and hoping I'm fast enough to keep them at bay. But then they caught on to what I was doing and are now holding the ladders up to keep them from being knocked away so easily. Shit!

"Leon! Luis!" I screamed in terror when I found my attempts to be useless now. Did they hear me? Gunshots continued to be fired down below as half the villagers continued to flood the first floor. I guess not. I have no choice but to hide, if I didn't then Leon will get pissed and I'll be carried off...but I have to keep the villagers from surrounding them somehow. I grabbed a few Hand and Incerdinary grenades from my side pack and headed for the rail of the steps. I quickly pulled out some strands of shirt string and strung them up to the bottom of the rails individually and fed them all the way back to the wardrobe.

"Leon! Luis!!" I shrieked again. Now they heard me but it was too late. The four ladders slammed against the walls again as I quickly hid inside and tried to keep the strings as low as possible to the floor so that the villagers won't set them off too early. Thank you action movies!

(A/N: I know I'm breaking the laws of science by doing this and the fact that they don't all go off when one does...so bare with it okay?)

Seconds later, the villagers flooded the second floor and began to search for me while half went to the stairs to surprise my heroes. I peeked through the crack of the door and waited for them to get pretty close to the steps...and down a few...

NOW!

I yanked on the first string and...

_BOOM!_

Villagers flew everywhere and screamed in agony. Score! Now if Leon and Luis ignored that then I'm kicking their asses if we live through this. More poured into the second floor and they went to the stairs to block the two men. I yanked on the second string and another explosion occurred, sending Ganados flying. I could hear Leon swearing like crazy as he tried to force his way up the steps but failing as more flooded the top steps. I pulled on the third one and it exploded as well but it was a lot softer..it was the Incendinary grenade and villagers were running around the top floor while on fire. The other villagers kept away from them and surged toward the stairs. I was about to pull on the last Hand grenade when a shadow overcame my light and I looked up the crack, thinking that one of the villagers was merely standing in front of the wardrobe to stay away from the stairs.

But it was worse than that.

Apparently, one villager was smart enough to watch the rail and the strings and followed them back to the innoccent looking wardrobe. And that villager was glaring at me through the door crack with glowing yellow eyes. Oh, shit... I dropped the string in favor of the handles as the female villager tried to pry open the door. I grabbed the handles and pulled back to keep them closed.

The villager gave up the handles after a bit but I kept them tightly closed just in case, but the villager decided to open the wardrobe in a different way.

_CRACK!_

The very tip of a kitchen knife punctured through the wood and I screamed. Holy shit, she's trying to carve her way through!

_CRACK!_

A sharp sickle blade stabbed through the wood a bit and it was yanked away and another pair of yellow eyes gazed through the little hole. Crap, another one taking a whack at the wardrobe. The knife was pulled back and the two stabbed the door again at my head level. Again and again the two stabbed at the door, trying to break their way through. Thankfully this wood was strong and thick...

_CRACK!_

I just hope its strong enough to outlast the battle! There was another whack and the razor sharp edge of an axe pierced through. Three people now?! Three more blades punched through the wood. Oh my GOD! SIX?!

"_LEON!"_ I howled in terror, "HELP!!"

_Cha-chuck BOOM!_

_Cha-chuck BOOM!_

_BLAM!_

_BLAM!_

"Rally!" Leon cried out in worry and started blasting at the Ganados blocking their way. I could tell they were at the center of the steps and three fourths of the mob were dead. That left just the guys outside my door and a handful waiting below for my drop. My heroes were on their way but they still had to get through the wall of Ganados to get to me and this door is starting to cave in!!

_Crack!_

_Crush!_

_Crack!_

_Crush!_

Geez, don't these guys ever get tired?!

_Crack!_

_Crush!_

_Crack! _

_Crush!_

_Crack!_

_Crush!_

_CRACK!_

_CRUSH!_

_CRASH!!_

I screamed out in fear as the door finally gave in and hands shot in my direction and grabbed ahold of my arms. I howled in rage as they yanked me out of my hiding place and began to push me toward the nearest window.

"RALLY!" Leon charged toward me with his shotgun in hand and blasted at the guy holding me in the legs but missed when one villager stood in the way and took the hit. "Damnit!" He whacked Don Manuel out of the way with the butt of the weapon and a trio of villagers kept close to me, daring him to fire. Instead of firing Agent Kennedy slammed his weapon into their faces, pushing past them and reached out to me. I knew and the Ganados knew that as long as I was near them, Leon wouldn't fire, at least not with the shotgun. A stray hit from that and it's game over for me. Damn them for forcing him to fight weaponless. Well, sort of. He still had his knife but it was useless in a fight like this. I reached out back, trying to grasp his hand.

"Leon!" I cried, my eyes wet from the tears of fear that were streaming down my face. I was scared. I was scared completely out of my mind and I couldn't help but cry. I was scared that I may actually die or become one of Saddler's creepy puppets. Or worse. Leon dying or becoming one of Saddler's minions. The fact remained that I was completely scared for not only my safety but Leon's as well. And his eyes...his light blue eyes. I could see the exact same fear in them, I knew I had. The fear that we may not live or see each other again in this insane nightmare.

Our hands brushed each other for a bit before Leon was tackled away from me and knocked to the floor. I cried out in shock as he screamed in pain when he landed on his lower back where the gash was and his shotgun skidded across the floor. Where was Luis?!

There!

Trapped in the corner with Ganados crowded around him in a semi circle.

Oh, crap!

We're losing..!

This is it!

Game over!

Wait...

Something was pushing against my side. I looked at my waist and saw that there was one more Flash Grenade on my belt loop, the other grenades were tucked safely in my side pack, only I couldn't reach them. But I could reach my belt loops. I grabbed the flash grenade and chucked it in Luis' direction.

"Luis! Flash!" I yelled and he held up his arms protectively over his face. The little grenade went off and the mob of Ganados cried out in surprise. Luis instantly brought his arms down and fired into the group, killing them and clearing a path.

As the gang of Ganados pushed me toward the window, Leon and Luis were fighting fiercely to break away from them and get to me... but I wasn't watching their fight. I watching one villager that was slumped against the rail. Was he really dead?

Because I wasn't paying attention to what was going and had stopped struggling, the Ganados succeeded in shoving me out of the window. I screamed in fright from two things. One, I was just shoved out of the second floor window. Two, that "dead" Ganado wasn't dead, he was playing possum! Leon and Luis were close and had their backs turned to him!

I struggled wildly against the villagers once I landed in their open arms and they began to cart me off like a piece of firewood. Come on you guys! Give a girl a break! I looked toward the second floor window, hoping to see Leon with his rifle aimed and ready. Come on, Leon... you can take these guys out! I know you can! Or Luis! Yeah, Luis will be racing out of the cabin firing his Red 9 while Leon gave him cover...

_**BBBBOOOOMMM!**_

The two story cabin quaked under the sudden explosion, a blast of air and random junk were forced out of the second floor windows. Jesus freaking Christ! Where did that explosion come from?! _HOW_ did it happen?! Then I remembered...the villager playing dead...there was something in his hand...

Oh...

my...

god...

MY HAND GRENADE! The bastard used my Hand grenade! I stared in shock as the cabin shook under the aftermath the explosion, villagers were still flying out of the windows of the second floor and smoke billowing out of the cabin. The roof and second floor walls were damaged, broken and somewhat burned. After that explosion, all was still and silent...even the villagers carrying me toward the log gates were eeriely quiet. Perhaps mourning for their fellow villagers?

Leon...?

Luis...?

I continued to stare at the house in hopes of seeing the two fine and dandy...and heavily pissed. But no one came out of the cabin. My eyes glazed over with a sheen of tears as realization hit me. Leon and Luis...were...dead. Killed by my weapon...by _my trap_ that I had set up for the villagers! And the enemies used it against them! Oh my GOD!! I just killed my two heroes!!!

_"NOOO!" _I howled in anguish as the villagers continued to carry me away. I thrashed furiously against them, pulling in my limbs, yanking on their arms in attempt to free myself and get inside the cabin. I didn't want to leave! I didn't want to leave Leon and Luis by themselves to die! I would rather die beside them than being the only one alive and be some neo crazy version of their miracle baby! I don't want to be their version of Jesus! (no offense religious ones!)

"NO! Let me go! _LEON! LUIS!_ Nooo!" I screamed, still flailing about in their arms. The villagers stopped in front of a shack to tighten their grip on me. What was the point in struggling? Leon and Luis were dead... No one was coming to rescue me. I doubt Wesker or Ada will come to help. Hell, he may be my favorite RE villain but Wesker wouldn't give a rat's ass about me. Ada, however, will probably pump me full of lead for allowing Leon to die in my trap. I wouldn't blame her... I'll probably blow myself away if given a chance...

_Tatatatatatatatatatatatatatatat!_

The angry chatter of a TMP broke the silence and the tiny shots slammed into the villagers. They released me and I fell to the ground as their bodies danced to the beat of the high speed weapon. One of the villagers' plaga revealed itself and clawed out in the cool night air in anger. The plaga swiveled its ugly eye at me and lashed out, hitting me across the face with its razor sharp tentacle three times. A gash formed over the bridge of my nose, another over my right eye and the third went up from below my left ear to just below my left eye. The intense pain slapped me so hard that I fell back and shrieked, my hands flying up to my face and covered it as a flash grenade was thrown. The device exploded, killing the plaga and I felt someone rushing over to me and helped me up.

"Lass, let me see the injury."

Merchant...

"I thought you only helped us only for the money." I muttered as I kept my hands over my face. I could tell that the merchant wanted to chuckle at the comment but knew that now wasn't the time. He had one arm wrapped around my waist to steady me as I leaned heavily on one leg.

"Aye, that's true but that don't mean I'm heartless, now am I?" he questioned, "Besides, I don't like people attackin' others while they are defenseless."

I blinked at him with my left eye, the only thing I allowed him to see of my face. "I have grenades. How does that qualify me as being defenseless?"

The merchant smiled from beneath his violet scarf, "Aye, ya have grenades but are limited to use them in combat. Think 'bout it, lass. If ya used them before while in their hands, ya would've blown yerself to bits."

I sighed as I lowered my gaze. "True."

"Now let me see the injury, lass."

I stepped away from him and shook my head still holding my hands up to my face. The merchant sighed, put his weapon away and held up a First Aid Spray. I stared at it.

"Lass, I can't help ya if ya don't let me see the injury."

I sighed again and slowly lowered my hands. The merchant's eyes widen in shock at the slashes that decorated my face. The gashes burned with pain, my face was smeared with my own blood and the only way I could see was to keep my left eye open. All I could do at the time was stare at the little white spray bottle.

Leon...

Luis...

The merchant flinched at the sight and held the little bottle up to my face.

"This will fix it." he muttered then looked startled as I snatched at his arm. "Lass, what are ya doing?!"

"How many of these do you have on you now?" I asked seriously as I swiped the First Aid Spray from his grip.

"More than enough to take care of the injury."

"Fix me later!" I raced back to the cabin with the bottle, "Leon and Luis need this more than I do!"

The merchant chased after me as I flew into the cabin and up the stairs. He nearly ran into me when I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks. There on the wooden floor sprawled the two forms that were none other than Leon and Luis. I shrieked in terror and ran to them with the First Aid Spray in hand.

"Oh my god! Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!" I babbled as I dropped to my knees next to them and looked them over as quickly as I could. The merchant knelt to next to Leon and looked him over more carefully then gazed over at Luis, taking note of something I really didn't notice at the time. He sat back on his feet and began to remove a box full of First Aid Sprays.

"Lass, calm down. The two are fine... a bit banged up but still alive." He handed me a handful of sprays and went to tend Luis. I think he figured that I wanted to tend to Leon...because it was my fault that the guy nearly died. As I turned to look at my hero, I finally noticed the full extent of his injuries. The back of his black shirt was badly burned, his hair slightly singed and of course the cuts that were scattered all over his tall frame. I held my hand just above his mouth and felt the warm puffs of his shallow breathing. At least his neck wasn't broken and nothing was blocking his windpipe.

First things first...heal that damn gash on his lower back. I really can't heal all his injuries if he's going to thrash around like a fish if I flip him over onto his back. I scowled at his form fitting shirt. It's really a pain in the ass to lift this thing if its tailored to fit him so damn well for two things...well its actually more than two but right now all I can think are just the two major ones. One, it sticks to the dried blood of a wound easily, making it difficult to _not _reopen wounds. Two... it's very distracting.

(A/N: It's true! Just _look_ at his shirt! It's so... form fitting... and yummy... I'm serious! Look at his pants! They ride pretty low...almost exposing his sexy hips... Well they are exposed just covered by his lovely shirt. I'll be honest, I was kind of thinking of writing this fic with romance between us to begin with but... It just wasn't right. I mean, if I did that I may end up falling for this guy and end up searching the world for a guy _exactly_ like Leon. Looks, personality, name... you name it. So I decided against it... but you can tell that I haven't done that well of changing it. Maybe I can myself sorta try to get close to him but then back off as soon as I remember he's already got two chicks after his ass and I don't want to be the third? Oh, and about what's coming up might have you question me. But it was for the sake of the fic... and for the big laugh you'll get. Okay, enough babbling! On with the fic!)

I lifted the back of his shirt as carefully as I could to heal the wound but I ended up reopening it. Leon twitched in his sleep and groaned softly in pain. I flinched at his act. _Oh! Sorry, Leon! _Damn this is difficult. I managed to lift his shirt enough to spray the gash and watched it heal. It always fascinated me on how a simple little spray like this could heal a deep wound completely and do it in several seconds. The gash bubbled and fizzed as the liquid worked its magic and healed the wound, replacing the dead skin with a fresh layer of new flesh. I wiped the dried blood off his lower back and noticed that his entire upper back was red. I stared at it then looked up at the merchant who was spraying Luis' injuries.

"How's Luis?" I asked as I pondered over Leon's red back. He was caught in the blast that's for sure but he must've known about it before hand and got as far from the villager as possible on the second floor. So why is he so red? (A/N: I kow the Hand grenades are frags but just for the fic they're not.)

"Aye, he's fine. Not as injuried as your friend there." he replied as he applied some spray to the spaniard's forehead.

"How can he not be that injuried? They were both caught in a grenade blast in basic ground zero."

The merchant said nothing but gave me the 'Do-you-have-to-ask-such-a-stupid-question' look. He stared at me for a couple of seconds and gazed at Leon's back. I followed his gaze and my questions were answered. I scowled at the unconscious agent. For the first time I felt like whacking him over the head to wake him up and yell into his face. Seriously, who came up with the idea for Leon to be so damn heroic that he would actually try to kill himself to save another?! Heroic? Yes. Smart? No.

Okay, what he did in Raccoon to save Ada by taking a bullet in her stead was nice but at least he had a better chance of surviving a bullet. There was little to no chance of him surviving a close range grenade blast by taking the brunt of it for another. He's fucking _lucky_ to have survived it! Doesn't Leon get it yet?! Did what I had said to him in the farm go in one ear and out the other?! He can't keep this up! If he does then he dies and the this whole damn mission was for nothing! I glared at him, wanting so badly to beat him to death for being so...heroic! But... I couldn't really bring myself to hate him for long.

"Always the hero and gentelman." I muttered bitterly, "You're lucky that you're my favorite... and being so damn cute."

"What did ya say, lass?" the merchant questioned with a suggestive look in his eye. "Cute, ya say?" I guess he must've figured out that I sorta liked Leon... as my favorite... nothing more.

"No." I griped, "I said, 'he's lucky to survive the blast.'"

The merchant grinned under his scarf. "Right."

"Shut up." I growled, suddenly thankful for the blood covering my face. It was hiding the blush I know for certain that was there. In speaking of the blood on my face, it was beginning to dry and crust. Which meant it was severely itchy right now. I didn't dare scratch my face now, it was messed up enough as it is. I didn't want to rip it open even more. I looked at his injuries again and noticed at the burns not only covered his upper back but his shoulders and the back of his neck. I couldn't heal them as well with his shirt in the way. Which meant that Leon's form fitting black shirt... had to come off.

I dropped my sprays as the realization hit me, stood up quickly, and walked briskly toward the stairs. The merchant looked at me in surprise then looked at unconscious agent as I continued to walk to the stairs. "Problems, lass?" he asked and I paused after taking two steps down the stairs. I glanced at him with my good eye and then looked at Leon.

"Yeah. His burns. I can't heal them." I replied calmly, glaring at the railing.

"And why's that?"

"His shirt is in the way."

The merchant blinked in confusion, "Then why don't..." He smiled as he quickly caught on. "Oh..." He chuckled as I glared at him then marched down the stairs. "Does something bother yer heart whenever ya look at him and think...a little lovey dovey?"

"Shut up and heal him before I decide to take Leon's shotgun and bother _your_ heart with it!" I yelled angrily from the first floor. I heard him laugh out loud upstairs as I sat next to the old table and glared at the busted door. I felt like beating the crap out of someone. I kind of wished there was a villager left to beat on right now.

A few mintues later...

" 'ey, lass! Ya can come up now. Yer friend's healed." the merchant called down and I stopped carving on the wood with a knife I found. I tossed it away, it wasn't good anymore, the edge had wore away. I stepped carefully toward the stairs, feeling both relieved and upset. Relieved because Leon is out of danger for now and he is now able to keep going... at least when he wakes up. Upset because the agent's injuries were my responsibilty to heal and it was my fault for letting the villagers use my trap against us. That and something else but I wasn't going to think about it right now.

I walked up the stairs, thanking the merchant as I went up. I guess the merchant wasn't such a bad person after all. He saved me, he healed Leon and Luis with his First Aid Sprays...and all for free. I bounded the last few steps with a smile and reached the top. I looked at him and then at Leon...

My body froze and my smile faded.

There, lying on the floor, face up was the agent.

My hero and dear friend was in front of me..

And he was **shirtless**!

I whirled around, shot back down the stairs and screamed angrily from the room below. The merchant laughed at his prank as I fumed at the bottom of the stairs. I wanted to fulfill my threat at that precise moment... but Leon's weapons were upstairs. To get to them I had to go back up and grabbed them. But in order to do that I had to have my eye open to see where the shotgun was lying at and in doing so I will end up looking at Leon.

"_**ASS!**_" I raged from the first floor. I shook my head furiously in hopes of getting rid of the image that my mind so coldly snapped a picture of. I failed miserbly. I clenched my hands, my body quivered in embarassment, and my face was completely red. _I should have known he was going to do that! He knew! He fucking KNEW that I was going to react like this!_

"Got ya, lass!" the merchant laughed from the room above, "Ya didn't think I was going to let ya use my sprays for free, now did ya? Yer expression is a nice payment for my services." (A/N: I'm not trying to make the merchant bad, I just made him do it for the fun of it. It was funny, right?)

_"PUT HIS SHIRT BACK ON BEFORE I KILL YOU!" _I roared angrily, glaring at the ceiling of the first floor with a murderous glint in my eye. The merchant laughed again.

"Not before I embarass you in front of yer friend first!" he shot back.

"How you plan on doing that? Strip him in front me while he's up?"

"No..." I could hear the mirth in his voice, "I got proof, lass! A picture is worth a thousand words!"

_"YOU TOOK A PICTURE!?"_

"Aye!"

_"DAMN YOU!"_

"All right, all right! Ya can come back up. Yer friend is covered back up now." the merchant called down with mirth in his tone a few seconds later. I glared up at the ceiling and headed for the stairs. "For your sake, he better be..." I hissed as I stalked up the steps. I paused at the last few steps, hesitating. Was he going to pull the same trick twice? He would love that, wouldn't he?

"Lass, are ya afraid that I may pull the same trick twice? Or are ya afraid to see yer hero completely bare?" he challenged teasingly. I wish he hadn't said that. My imagination decided to be evil now and painted the image into my mind's eye. I blushed fiercely. Curse my wild imagination and the idiot who gave it something to play with. I pushed the mental picture aside and marched up the stairs with my head held high. I wasn't about to let the merchant get the best of me...again.

(A/N: Believe me, it's difficult to think about anything else if the image of a nude Leon is stuck in your mind. I curse my friend for doing that to me. Now I have and forever will have...that image burned into my mind. I also curse the fact that I read some romance novels... now my head is filled with naughty thoughts of Leon... _Oh_, don't get me started on the dreams at night... I'm not liking this. 'No romance between authoress and cute game character hero guy!' I've **got **to start chanting that...)

I entered the second floor and hesitantly looked in Leon's general direction. Sure enough, the agent was dressed and still unconscious as well as Luis. I blushed inwardly at the idea that if Luis had woken up and seen me stare at a half naked Leon. I can only imagine two things if that happened. One, Luis will tease Leon or me to no end about it. Second, he would wish that it was him who took the full brunt of the blast instead of Leon.

I walked over to the merchant, who stood by smiling like an idiot and whacked him over the head with my hand. I glared at him dangerously with my left eye. My right eye is fine, if you're wondering, it's just that the blood would seep into it if I opened it. Now its fused shut because of the dried blood... and it itches! I jabbed my blood covered finger into the merchant's chest.

"If you weren't here to help me look after and care for those two, I'd break your arms!" I hissed icily as I looked him in the eye. I turned away from the merchant, walked over to were the fallen heroes lay, and sat down between them, indian fashion. I sat there and looked at each one until weariness overcame me. My eye slowly began to close and my head dropped to my chest but when it did, I would snap back awake and tried to resume my watch. The merchant watched me try and smiled.

"Lass, fatigue has caught up with ya." he said, "I think its best to rest awhile. These two won't be awake 'til quite some time."

I shook my head tiredly, refusing to sleep. "No, I have to stay awake in case the villagers return." I mumbled sleepily, my eye drooping once more.

"Aye, yer mind says one thing but yer body says otherwise." he mused, "Get some sleep, lass. I'll watch over for ya."

I looked at him and a small smile spread across my bloody face. The merchant was right, I needed sleep to stay alive. I looked at both Leon and Luis, allowing my eye to slowly close and my head sank to my chest.

"Thank you..." I murmured and my eye closed, allowing my body to recharge and dreams to weave their stories.

Sleep.

Sleep is nice...

Sleep is good...

Leon...

Luis...

Good...night...

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Whew! Finally finished this chappy! Long wasn't it? This may be the longest and funniest chapters you'll ever read in this fic...maybe... If you're wondering why, well its because I didn't know how to end it. And when I did try to more ideas pop in and I had to add them to it. And soon, I got this long chapter! Well, I hoped you liked it!

Will I keep the scars or let Leon heal them up? I guess you can say that the scars are to remind me to be careful in this nightmare. If I don't think things through I could end up killing Leon by mistake or myself.

About the whole seeing Leon half naked deal. Well I actually had a dream about it and it was so funny that I just had to put in the fic. I got that dream as a result of my friend telling me in great detail on how she had thought Leon would look like if he was completely nude. And because of the details, my imagination painted the picture in my head and now I'm stuck with it for life. Now I really can't sleep because I'm afraid to dream anything, if I did dream anything then chances are they are about Leon...and me. And that somewhat sickens me.

Reading romance novels after playing Resident Evil 2 or 4 _before_ going to bed is **bad**. Why does Japan keep making such sexy guys if they know this is going to drive fangirls insane?! I bet nearly every Leon fangirl is on the manhunt for guy exactly like Leon Scott Kennedy!

You know... may be I should just write a Leon fic that has romance between us just to get it out of my head, ya know? Maybe that's I have difficulty writing fics of him. I'm thinking of making a sequel to this fic but I don't have any ideas so far, so drop me a line and tell if you guys want a sequel or not, okay?

Please R&R!

Thank you!

Evilvixen05 aka Pikpixie03...Pik pik pik!


	6. El Gigante!

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and _Hero_ is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Five: El Gigante!

"Oh my god..."

"Aye yai yai!"

"Merchant... what happened to her?"

"Ah... the lass was gettin' carried off by the villagers and I helped her. But she was roughed up pretty badly by one of 'em."

I opened my eye sleepily and was being stared at by Leon and Luis. They both had shocked expressions and worry in their eyes. Ah... shit, they just saw my face. I looked away and heard the agent curse himself. I knew exactly what he was thinking. He thought that this was his fault and in reality that wasn't the case. It was my fault not his.

"Don't you dare say it was your fault." I growled as I looked back at them. I guess I kinda looked like some ex-convict or something because they froze when I growled at them. And I probably did, between my scars, bloody face, the anger in my eye and my dangerous growl.

"But-" Leon protested but I cut him short with a glare.

"Damnit, Leon, it's my fault!" I snapped as I stood and flinched. My muscles were sore and stiff from my akward sleeping position. "I deserve to have these on my face." I added softly, lightly tracing one of the cuts that ran down from underneath my left eye. The cuts hadn't scabbed over yet and were still bleeding... and they still itch.

The agent's gaze harden, something that I didn't even know Leon could do. "No one deserves to be that cut up even if they say they deserved it."

I snorted at his statement. _A gentleman as always, Leon._ "Yeah? Well, I do."

Leon crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a semi-glare. Luis and the merchant looked at each other then began to back way from us both. "Why would you deserve it?" the agent questioned, eerily calm.

That scared me. The way his blue eyes looked somewhat cold and his tone was calm, he didn't seem like himself. He looked like... A mental image of Wesker overlapped Leon like a veil. I shuddered inwardly at the image. Wesker was always cold and calm...that's just the way he was and I liked him because of that. But Leon... he was always a hero and gentleman, that's just the way he is. Acting like Wesker just didn't fit him... it was frightening. Leon Scott Kennedy, the always warm and gentle type, now a cool and calm man... like my favorite RE villian.

I looked away from in hopes of getting rid of the odd image and sighed. I could literally _feel_ Leon glaring at me. Great. That Wesker image was still there in my head. "It was my fault that you and Luis were caught in the blast." I muttered, keeping my gaze away from the agent. I wasn't sure if the cold gaze was still there but I'm not risking it. Seeing Leon **be** like Wesker was creepy.

"Were you the one that pulled the pin?"

"It was my trap, Leon. They used it against you."

"Were you the one that triggered it?"

"It was my trap, my responsibility."

"Were you the one that triggered it?"

Why does he keeping asking me the same damn question?! Is he deaf?! Hello?! Earth to Leon! _My trap_! It was mine! I didn't trigger it when I had the chance. The Ganados used it in hopes of blowing you and Luis to shit!!

"Were you the one that triggered it?"

_Argh! Damn it Leon! Quit asking me the same fucking question!!_ I snapped my head in his direction and glared at him. Sure enough, the Wesker look was still there. He's even in the same stance as the guy! All we need is an all black special operations outfit, slick his hair back, give him an earpiece, and a pair of those perpetual mirror shades. And viola! We got ourselves a neo Wesker!

I clenched my fists and resisted the urge to grab him by the neck and throttle him. "No! No, I didn't damnit! But-" I yelled angrily then trailed when I looked at his face. The Wesker look was gone, replaced by a boyish grin that Leon mostly wore. The cold gaze softened and his tone changed.

"What's so damn funny? My trap that the Ganados used against you and Luis nearly blown you both to hell!" I griped, trying to figure out why he was grinning.

Leon continue to grin at me, "Because it wasn't your fault."

I stared at him with a confused expession, though hard to see with all the dried blood on my face and the fact my right eye was still closed. "What?"

"It wasn't your fault."

"And why not? My trap just nearly blew you to bits!"

"True... but you weren't the one that tried to blow me up."

"It is! I had a chance to trigger it before but couldn't take it!"

"And why is that?" he asked with a grin.

I was about to give him a sharp retort when I remembered what happened. The reason why I couldn't trigger the last of my trap. The villagers knew where I was... and I dropped the string in order to keep the wardrobe doors closed... I let my hand drop as realization came to me. Leon was saying that it may have been my trap but it was the Ganados who triggered it to kill him... I didn't. Holy shit... he got me.

"I was protecting myself..." I muttered sourly, feeling like an idiot for yelling at Leon. And I was once again glad for the dried blood covering my face.

"Right." He held up a First Aid Spray, "Now, can I heal those for you before they turn into scars?"

I sighed, "Yeah. But first I need to wash off the dried blood."

"Then you're in luck." Luis suddenly said as we both whirled around and saw him standing there, leaning against the twisted rail. How the wooden rail managed to survive a close range blast is beyond me but then so is everything else out here. I mean, come on, I'm in a game that happens to be real life! Now exactly how times do gamers go through their favorite games like this? Right. None... at least as far as I can tell.

"Really? How's that?"

"It's raining. You can just go outside and stand there, letting the rain wash it off for you."

True enough, the steady rhythm of rain tapped the roof of the cabin. I looked at Leon, who looked back at me and shrugged. Whatever works. I nodded and we all went downstairs, the merchant had already left. I walked out of the cabin and was instantly drenched in the rain. I smiled a bit. It felt good, like a massage. A ton of tiny hands massaging me wherever it touched. I tilted my face up and allowed the rain to massage it as well as wash it. I didn't know how sore my face was until the rain began to soothe it. I felt the dried blood crack and slide off, mixing with the water. I gently rubbed at my right eye, which was stiff from all the blood collected there, and worked the rain into it as well. The dead weight of the blood on my eye disappeared and I finally opened it , seeing the world once again in full view.

The rain felt so good that I just had to have a little fun in it for a bit longer. I laughed softly and twirled in the rain, my arms outstreched. Oh, it feels so good to let my fears go and enjoy life a little more.

"Do you believe in heaven above? Do you believe in love? Don't tell a lie, don't be false or untrue, it all comes back to you." I sang softly, "Open fire on my burning heart I've never been lucky in love. My defenses are down, a kiss or a frown, I can't survive on my own."

(A/N: We're now switching over to look at the two cuties while I'm still twirling in the rain, okay? It's just for the fic and felt like doing it. Song: _Send Me An Angel_ by some group I can't remember... I think it was the Pet Shop Boys or something.)

Luis smiled from the doorway as I twirled about in the rain while Leon merely watched me like I was nuts. The spainard grinned and elbowed Leon a bit, causing the agent to look at him.

"You realize something, Leon?"

"What?"

"She's very fond of you."

"Of course, I'm the one protecting her."

"You're talking about a "rescuee-appreciating-rescuer" kind of fondness. I'm not talking about that."

Leon's eyes widen at Luis' words and looked at him with surprise.

"What?"

The spainard grinned toothily, "I see that you understand what I'm saying now. But it's true. She's fond of you."

The agent narrowed his eyes a little, "And you would know how?"

Luis went back to watching me with a grin. "You took the full brunt of the explosion and were out another hour than I was. I heard her say you were her favorite while I was half out of it. And that you were cute."

"You just imagined her saying it while you were half out it as she was healing us both." Agent Kennedy muttered, turning his attention to my twirling form.

"Empty dreams can only disappoint in the room behind your smile. But don't give up, don't give up, you can be lucky in love. It gets in your eyes, it making you cry... Don't know what to do, don't know what to do. You're looking for love, calling heaven above..." I sang out, holding my arms out to the raining sky, "Send me an angel, send me an angel... Right now, right now... Send me an angel, send me an angel... Right now, right now..."

Luis grinned again. "That's not what the merchant said...or did."

"The merchant is just- wait..."did?" Did what?"

"I ain't saying nothing."

"What did he **do**, Luis?" Leon growled.

The spainard shrugged his shoulders and nearly laughed out loud at his thought. The agent wasn't going to let this go 'til he got his answer and gave his comrade a warning glare. Luis held up his hands in defense while still wearing the sneaky little grin.

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"You either tell me or I'll take your Red 9, shove it down your throat and pull the trigger."

"Okay, okay!" He motioned Leon to come closer. When the agent did, the spainard whispered what the merchant did into his ear. Leon pulled away in a flash and was pissed.

"He _**what**_!?"

"It was just a prank."

"I don't care! That's just wrong!"

"Rally seemed to enjoy it. I told you she's fond of you."

"Shut up and let's bring her in so we can heal her face."

"Are you blushing Leon?"

"No! Just pissed!"

"So says the red faced agent."

Leon ignored him and called out to me. "Rally! Come on, I need to heal your face...!"

"...so I can give it a big kiss.." Luis whispered loudly. The agent glared at him and elbowed him in the stomach as discreetly as possible. (Which was kinda useless when I'm a bit far away to actually see it.) I bounded up to them and watched as Luis held his stomach and looked a little sick.

(A/N: I'm just going to go for the want to get closer but can't deal. There won't be any romance between us no matter how much you gals, or I, want to otherwise. It's just the way it is... (cries))

"What's wrong with him?" I asked as wiped the rain water off my face. Leon glanced at Luis for a bit. Did he just give him an evil glare?

"A stomach ache." the agent muttered as he held up the little spray bottle. I believed him and faced Leon so he could spray my face. I took a deep breath and held it as my hero gently sprayed medicine on me. The wounds on my face began to bubble and fiz as the medical liquid cleansed the cuts. It was cold but then it began sting. Oh, how it stung! I whimpered a bit and clenched my hands but stopped when I felt Leon circle his hand on mine and gave a reasssuring squeeze. I squeezed his hand back as the pain continued for another ten seconds. After that was done, I wiped the leftover medicine off my face and smiled up at the two.

They smiled back at me. The cuts were healed and left no scars. Now, back to business. Luis looked out into the darkness toward the village farm as Leon reloaded his weapons. I placed more grenades around my waist and counted them. Damn! I only have about fifteen left. Five of each kind.

"So, what do we do now?" Luis asked as he continued to stare out at the night. The agent blew out his breath and frowned a little.

"The bridge I crossed to get here is out, so I guess we have no choice but to keep moving." he sighed, placing the TMP into his attache case. I sighed. Ah, that's right. From the get go of the game, the bridge was taken out, so Leon couldn't go back to get help. _This sucks. We have to go through one of the two log gates in order to leave the village._

Luis looked a little worried and avoided looking at us both directly as he began to leave. "I forgot something." he said as he headed for the open doorway, "You guys go on ahead."

Leon looked at him a little sorrowful. I guess he wanted Luis to join up in order to protect me better and didn't want him to get killed because of us.

"Luis." the agent murmured as the spainard left the cabin. I watched him go and realized that this will be the second to last time I'll see him alive. I had to do something to keep him from dying. But how can I do that?

"Will I be able to? That's the million dollar question..." I muttered as Luis disappeared into the raining darkness. Man, why does Capcom have to make things so damn difficult? Should I stick to the rules of the game? Or should I just break them and help Leon that much more better? I sighed inwardly. Something tells me that doing so may actually make things more difficult than easy. _This sucks eggs big time_.

Leon sighed. "Come on, Rally. Let's see where we have to go to get the hell out of here." He headed for the doorway and I silently followed. _To get the hell away from here we gonna have to go through the nine levels of hell and then some. Sorry, Leon, the village is the _least _of our problems. _

We trekked out of the cabin into the rain, we circled around back and headed for the little shack that was behind the cabin. I recognized it as the place where I was rescued by the merchant and got my face slashed. Ohh, look the perv had set up shop there. If Leon wasn't here and wasn't in need of the guy's help, I'll break the merchant's arms and fire every weapon he had on him _at_ him. Jerk. We headed there and somewhat greeted the merchant. The agent bought a few much needed items while I glared at the cloaked figure for pulling that damn prank on me. And my mind won't stop showing me that picture!

"Come back any time." the merchant laughed and gave me a cheeky grin. I could tell that because his gaze was focused on me and the fact that his eyes were scrunched up to make room for his grin. I felt my face grow hot and we both glared at him. Wait..._both_?! Why is Leon glaring at him? And blushing?

Agent Kennedy narrowed his eyes at him and walked away. "Rally, wait here for a bit. I'm gonna go check those log gates, okay?"

"Okay, Leon. Just don't touch anything that may trigger something."

He walked away with his face still slightly red. I didn't know why he's acting like this but that at least this gave me an excuse to threaten the merchant. As soon as Leon was out of sight, I whirled around and stabbed my finger against the merchant's chest. I guess the act must have surprised him because he looked startled. Good. I want him to be scared of me.

"Listen," I hissed lowly, "if you so much as show Leon that picture, I'll kill you myself."

"Aye, the stranger won't hear or see anything from me." the merchant chuckled, grinning like the Chesire Cat behind that damn scarf of his. He still thinks it was funny. "Lass...you enjoyed it, didn't you?"

I froze, my expression switching to surprise as blush slowly crept over my face. My finger crooked to a hook as I shifted my gaze around, fumbling over for an answer. Shit... he's right! He's right! The blush deepened after finding out that he was right. "N-no...! Y-you're wrong...! I... I..."

"Thought so, lass." The merchant grinned and I wanted to take the Chicago Typewriter and pump him full of lead. But I can't do that since we need his help to survive. Lucky bastard.

"Hey, Rally!" Leon called out as he approached the little shack again, holding the ever helpful shotgun in one hand. "I think I found the way out!" I turned around and headed for him, glad to get away from the merchant. Damn you merchant...why did you have to be right?! I rejoined my protector and we headed for the twin log gates.

I sighed as we stopped and stared at the little lever that controlled both gates. It merely sat there, silently mocking us as if it knew what we had to go through to leave. Great, another "choose your fate" deal. _I hate you lever._ To the left, more Ganados and the twin chainsaw wielding, hack-n-slash maniac ladies, the Bella Sisters. To the right... one big, strong, deadly, U-G-L-Y gigante. Now for me, its no contest to which way I like to go but... Leon doesn't know and the "game" may decide to play against the rules and shove something else to keep El gigante company. _This sucks..._

We stood in the sheltered room in the warm glow of the torches that were placed by the entrance as Leon studied the lever and stood back with a thoughtful look. "I wonder which way is safer..." he murmured as his gazed shifted between the two gates. I watched him, deciding whether to tell where to go or not. It would be helpful but risky. I was never dragged here...at least not while I was conscious. If Leon questioned me about it then I would have no lie to give...other than saying "I knew because I played the game."

_Tell him or not? Tell him or not?_ Or I could _suggest_ the path we should take, the one we are more likely survive and not waste ammo. Yeah, I'll go with that. "Um, Leon..."

"Yeah?" The agent titled his head in my direction, listening.

"I have a good feeling about the right side. At least, a less bad vibe from it."

Leon looked toward the right gate and his head slightly bobbed as he thought about it. But he surprised me as he smiled and reached to pull the lever to the right. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing too. We're going to get attacked by something no matter which way we go."

I sighed as I cross my arms over my chest, "True. Hopefully, it's only a few enemies to take out. I'm almost out of grenades."

The agent gave me a sympathic look, "I know... I don't want to put you through any other dangers tonight; I mean, you've already been through a lot at the crazy cabin." He rubbed the back of his neck and... is he blushing? "But we're not safe here out in the open, chances are they'll be back with more. Can you last a little longer until I find a safe area to rest?"

I smiled, "I'll last as long as you want me to, Leon. Whatever gets us out of here the soonest." I knew that it was far from the truth. I'm about ready to drop. I only had about half an hour's worth of sleep. I gazed at Leon for a bit and knew that he was exhausted. His eyes were slightly dull and had a somewhat glazed look. He was about ready to drop, too. He didn't have any sleep, other than the the hour he was unconscious but that didn't count.

Agent Kennedy sighed and pulled the lever to the right. Oh, yeah...he's exhausted. As the lever touched the right half of the base, the machinery that was cleverly put together clanked to life. A _Whir! _and a loud _crack!_ followed, then silence. Oh wow... so exciting. I hope we didn't break the damn thing. Leon headed for the gate as I followed suit and he paused long enough to pump the shotgun before he pushed the gate open. The narrow, cliff-hugged path looks exactly like it did the game, including the heavy boulder that is miraculously being supported by the cheap looking platform. It was the same all right but... something was off about the area too.

"Leon, wait." The agent paused and turned to me, wet blonde hair glizening in the soft light of the moon that barely broke through the dark clouds. "There's a boulder up on that platform." I pointed it out as I kept an eye out for El Gigante, he may just jump in at any moment.

(A/N: Is the boulder platform in the midsection of the first area or close to the entrance/exit? I can't remember, and it doesn't say where exactly it is in the Player's Guide. If it is by the entrance or exit then sweet! If it is in the mid point then damn this will sound weird.)

He looked up and scowled a little. "Huh, that may be a trap set for us. I had boulders shoved at me before. Wait here." I stood by the gate as my hero walked forward cautiously, switching to the handgun. As he continued to walk, I looked at the boulder. It looked a little wrong. Was it supposed to be in the middle of the path?

As Leon edged toward the boulder's shadow, the giant monstroisty decided to leap into the path... right between me and Leon. Cutting us both off from each other. Great. The ground quaked under the powerful landing and shook again as it threw back its short head and roared out into the night. The agent whirled around in surprise as El Gigante looked at each of us deciding on who it should attack. It focused on Leon, glaring at him with beady eyes.

While it was distracted, I began to sidle along the wall and hopefully go around it but it seemed that it had already choosen on who it should kill first. El Gigante whipped around and made a grab for me, its size blocking my view of Leon. _Holy crap! _I shrieked in terror and ran out from his reach just in time for him to miss.

"Shit!" Leon swapped his handgun for the TMP and fired it at the giant in hopes of distracting it. The short bursts of the weapon illuminate Leon briefly as he shot at the wild beast's side. The pain from the weapon caused the giant to miss me as it tried to grab for me again. Angered by its miss, El Gigante turned to the agent and slapped him aside like he was annoying puppy. I watched in horror as Leon sailed through the air and slammed against the cliff wall before bouncing off and landing on the muddy earth.

He wasn't moving.

_"Leon!"_

Grinning, El Gigante began to stomp his way toward the downed agent. Oh... shit! I had to keep the creature away from Leon, long enough for the agent to recover! I grabbed the nearest the rock and threw it. It bounced off the creature's head and it ignored it like it was nothing. I grabbed another, my slingshot, loaded it and fired it at El Gigante's face. The rock slammed itself against giant's nose. That... got its attention very well. It whirled around, glared at me and thundered his way toward me in order to crush me like an orange. I began to jog backwards and fire rocks into its face.

"Focus on me! That's right! Get the little girl that bitch slapped you with a rock!" I yelled angrily as I led it away from Leon and back toward the exit. El Gigante snarled angrily, its pale blue eyes not leaving my small figure for a second. I glanced away from the giant briefly and saw that Leon was beginning to revive. El Gigante seemed to know that as well as it turned away and walked back toward the half conscious agent. _NO! Nononononono!_

I ran around the creature and fire another rock at its face. The rock jammed itself _up_ the giant's nose, causing it to rear back in shock and pain and clutch its face. It sputtered in anger and glared at me with a murderous glint in its eye. Then everything happened in slow motion.

El Gigante swiped its hand at me in an attempt to grab me. It was moving too fast for me dodge it, then suddenly I heard Leon's screaming battlecry and the giant's roar of bloodlust. I whirled around in time to see the agent's bluring body running towards me.

_Leon...!_

Leon pushed me aside and El Gigante wrapped its giant hand around the agent's athletic frame, trapping his arms to his sides. There was no way for Leon to free himself now! The giant lifted him off the ground and gave him an experimental squeeze, causing Agent Kennedy to howl in pain. The creature grinned and began to close its fist slowly. I shrieked angrily and charged at the giant, ready to throw a Flash grenade when the creature slapped me aside. I skidded across the muddy ground and heard Leon cry out in anger and pain.

I sat up and struggled to stand but a blast of pain shot up me left arm, forcing me to kneel down. I looked at my arm and saw that a gash had formed just below my shoulder and down the length of my upper arm. I must've skidded over a sharp rock or something like it. I looked back toward Leon as El Gigante continued to "play" with the agent.

My eyes widen in terror as the agent threw his head back in one final cry of pain before finally passing out in the giant's grip. I stared at him with a sheen of tears threatening to fall. Leon did not move, his body sagging in the creature's fist, head bowed in defeat. _NO! No, not again! No! LEON! WAKE UP!!!_ El Gigante grinned once more and lifted the unconscious agent above its short, ugly head, ready to smash him into the ground.

_"LEON!"_ I screamed in terror as the agent's lithe form dangled limply in the giant's grip. _No! He's going to die for real!! Leon! WAKE UP! For Christ's sake, Leon! Wake up!!_

Just as El Gigante was about to throw Leon into the ground, there was a howl from some animal and a blur of white leaped down the cliff. The animal landed gracefully on the path, barked at El Gigante and leaped toward the giant's frame and latched itself onto the giant's face. Is that the...?

El Gigante reared back in surprise and dropped Leon. It only took me a second to react to my hero's free fall and ignoring the pain in my arm, shot toward the agent's falling frame. I caught him and continued to run from the fight. I didn't think of anything else, why I can carry a injured man with a bad arm, how I ran carry a guy that is heavier than me like it was no sweat. All I thought was to get Leon away from the fight and revive him so we can get the fuck out of here or kill the giant.

As I carried him toward the locked gate, the agent's head fell against my chest. When it did, I realized that _**I**_ was carrying him with a bad arm and he is heavier than me. Because of that my arm flared in pain and my foot slipped from beneath me and I fell back, taking the agent with me. His body landed roughly on top of my chest and knocked the wind out of my lungs. I gasped out in shock and took in gulps of air to feed my lungs and gently rolled Leon off. I coughed and looked toward the fight and saw that it was indeed the white dog that helped Leon earlier.

The dog was hanging onto the giant's nose with its jaws and keeping it distracted. Apparently, the dog wasn't sure if Leon could get through this without some help and followed him. Thank you, doggie! I quickly turned back to the agent and gently patted the side of his face in an effort to wake him up.

"Come on, Leon, wake up." I murmured as I continued to pat his face, "Come on, the dog won't be able to hold El Gigante off for long." I patted the side of Leon's face a few more times before he was finally coming around. His blue eyes fluttered open and they seemed unfocused and lost.

"Ugh...wha-?" he mumbled dizzily, lifting a hand to his face. I smiled down at him with relief.

"Leon... you're okay!" I squealed softly and I sat back to allow the cool air to snap him out of it faster. It worked since the agent was now upright and shaking his head to clear it.

"Wh-where's the giant?"

"Behind us. The dog you saved is back and is now distracting that thing."

Leon shook his head and looked toward the battle, blinking in surprise. "This is the second time that dog helping me." He stood shakily and went for the shotgun. I smiled and grabbed a Flash Grenade. We were going to end this fight!

We both ran at the giant as the white dog continued to gnaw on the thing's nose. Leon fired off a shot, careful to not hit the dog and El Gigante threw the dog off and tried to grab Leon once more. I threw the flash grenade and grinned as it went off at point blank in its face. It roared in pain and backed away from us... toward the boulder's shadow. I noticed it and called toward Leon.

"Leon! It's heading for that boulder! Shoot out the support beam!"

The agent whipped out his rifle, turned to the supprt beam, waited for Gigante to walk right under it and fired. The support beam of the platform shattered from the shot and the platform itself collapsed under the weight of the giant, heavy rock. The boulder bounced down the cliff's wall and smacked onto the giant's thick skull. The _crack!_ of both the boulder and the giant's skull was completely deafening and made us cringe. Man, that's loud!

The monster groaned loudly and clutched it cracked skull, swaying on its feet. It straggered toward us, blood flowing from its mouth like a waterfall, and dropped to one knee. El Gigante's back split open, revealing its monstrous Plaga in a mess of blood and strange brownish goo. The Plaga clawed the air in pain, its long slimy tentacles flailing wildly. Leon saw what was happening and grabbed his knife.

"Rally, stay here! Looks like this thing is ready to keel!" He darted to the giant, circled around it and climbed onto the creature's back. I cringed upon hearing the digusting squishing and ripping noises as Leon continued to slash at the Plaga, which shrieked in pain as blood and bodily fluids sprayed everywhere. Ewww...!

With a dying roar, El Gigante flailed wildly as its eyes rolled to the back of its head. The Plaga fell limp and shriveled up like a raisin, its tentacules curling in agony. Leon yelped in shock as he fell along with the giant as it died, and rolled off its back and onto the ground, safely. The entire area trembled, including us, when El Gigante's body finally fell to the ground. And silence followed soon after, with the exception of the rain and thunder.

"Leon!" I rushed toward him, my arm still flaring in pain and the dog following closely behind. I helped him up weakly with my right arm and sighed. We're soaked, our clothes are plastered to our skins with water and mud. We're clean and dirty at the same time... great. I clamped my right hand over the wound of my left arm and shivered from the cold. "Are you all right, Leon?"

He smiled grimly. "I should be asking you that." He focused on my left arm and frowned slightly. "Are you okay?" I hissed a little and shook my head as I moved my hand and revealed the wound.

"Nope. I got another gash. I must've skidded over a sharp rock or something when this thing slapped me aside." Leon hissed at the wound and came to me with a First Aid Spray, I lifted my sleeve to show the cut to him. He first allowed the rain to wash off the mud and sprayed it. I hissed at the spray's sting but smiled as it stopped and the cut was healed.

My smile faded as I remembered what happened a few minutes ago. "I'm sorry, Leon."

The agent looked confused, "For what?"

"For nearly getting you killed again."

"Ah, that. Don't worry about it."

" 'Don't worry?' Why not? I nearly got you killed again. If it weren't for me you wouldn't have been grabbed by this thing."

"I did it out as reaction to save you." He grinned at me, "Besides, knowing you, you would have done the same without thinking twice, now wouldn't you?"

I blushed. He was right...again... "True."

We smiled at each other and heard a bark. We gazed down and saw that the white dog was glaring at us for not giving him some credit in the rescue. I grinned as I knelt down stroked the dog's head. "Ah, yes. You get some credit too, boy. If it weren't for you, we would both be dead." The white dog wagged its tail and enjoyed the petting.

Leon knelt down and stroked the dog too, "Yeah, if you didn't come in then I would a secret agent smuge. Thank you." The dog barked out a welcome and sat there. I looked at the dog and grinned, an idea forming in my head.

"Hey, Leon. Why don't we keep him?"

"Keep the dog?"

"Yeah! If we get seperated, he could help out one of us! If we get seperated and he's with me then he could protect me while we look for you or vice versa when he's with you."

"Hmm...interesting. That would be helpful but he may get injured from the villagers once they take a swing at him with an axe."

"Maybe...but if he could handle a giant monster, a villager is nothing to him. Right, Caleb?"

" 'Caleb'? You've already thought of a name for him?"

"Yup, it means 'faithful' in Hebrew. It was either that or I'll call him 'Leon', which is 'bold lion' in German."

"All right, all right! Caleb it is."

"Yay!"

"Okay, let's get the hell out of here before something else goes wrong."

"True to that!"

We collected the large amount of pesetas left by El Gigante and headed for the locked gate. Leon blasted the chains off and we entered the next area cautiously. Other than the two cabins in the area, it was pretty much empty. We raided the two cabins and knocked down a Purple Gem which Leon stuck to the Elegant Mask. As we headed for the second locked gate, I realized that we didn't find the Old Key. We stared at the gate, even Caleb titled his head to one side. We could blast the chains off if it weren't for the fact that they were super thick and so were the doors. Even I wouldn't be able blast this gate open with my grenades.

"Odd. We can't get through, wouldn't a villager have a key hidden here to open the gate?" Leon wondered out loud as I stared at the gate in horror. I said nothing back but ran back to the cabins and tore through them looking for the Old Key. The agent rushed after me and watched in surprise as I threw out a chair that was in my way.

"Rally, what's wrong?" he asked as he ducked under another chair I flung outside. I was panicking again, I could tell.

"Sorry, about that! I'm looking for the key! But I can't find it!" I wailed, "There were supposed to be two!"

"Two? How do you know?"

"I saw them while I was held captive. I didn't know what doors they opened but they were pretty important to the Village Chief, he gave one to one fo the villagers and told another to hide it in the "other passage"." I lied as I flipped over a table. Keeping secrets sucks at times, "This is the "other passage", I think. So why isn't the key here?"

"Maybe one of the villagers took it." Leon suggested as I paused in my search and felt color drain from my face. Or, it never existed. To get to the gandola, one has to either face El Gigante or brawl with the Ganados at the barrier station, meaning _two_ keys but no key was placed here. Therefore, there are no two keys just one. This was a dead end, another trap set up by the villagers. Which meant that we have to go back and go left.

And face the twin chainsaw-loving dames...

The Bella Sisters...

Oh...fuck...

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Whoo! Another chapter finished for just Sabertooth and Wolf, and Misty Maxwell...my two only loyal readers for this fic. Thank you! You'll get a Leon pic that I drew once I'm done coloring it in. But be warned, I'm not that good of an artist and I made him look more like a teenager than adult. It's a pic from The Resurrection of the Nightmare, though I'm not that far in it yet. I made him look more like Link...bummer.

Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it! Please R&R!


	7. The Bella Sisters and the Gondola Lift

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and _Hero_ is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Six: The Bella Sisters and the Gondola Lift.

We trekked back toward the first area of El Gigante's passage, by passed its muddy corpse and through the gate. As Leon pulled the lever to the left, I was shaking from both the cold and the fact we had to get through the Bella Sisters in order to get to the final village gate and leave this place for good. With Leon's current weapons, I wasn't sure if we could live through their attack or worse...Leon wouldn't be the one to make it. I decided that I wasn't going to allow the agent to face them alone.

As my hero went past me to go through the left door, I reached out and stopped him. Startled, the agent looked at me in surprise as I gave him my best hard gaze. "Leon, whatever is behind that door, I want to let you know that I'm going to help you whether you like it or not."

Leon blinked in surprise, "But what if there is something a lot worse than the giant or the villagers?"

I didn't soften my gaze, "I said, 'Whether you like it or not'. I'm not going to let you charge off and get hacked to pieces by yourself. As long as I have grenades and able to fight, I'm going to help you out."

The agent returned the cool stare, "I don't like it. I prefer if you hid and I take care of whatever is going to attack us. I was instructed to protect you at all costs."

I narrowed my eyes. "I don't care what the government says, _they_ didn't experience the horrors that you faced in Raccoon City. _They_ didn't have to wade through the city sewers, fighting off zombies and who knows what else. _They're_ not going through the dangers we're facing now." I growled angrily, "Like I said before at the farm, 'Your mission fails either way if one of us dies.' What's the point of you dying heroically if I'm going get captured and turn into their religious figure?!"

Leon sighed, knowing well that I could argue about this all night. And the fact that what I said so far was true. "Fine, but at least keep close where I can see you."

I grinned suddenly, "Are you sure you're not part Hispanic? That's the Latio way of babysitting...'Be where I can see you.' " (I'm Texan, half of my family is Mexican and the other is Tex-Mex. Confusing, huh?)

The agent cracked a grin at my comment before bursting out in laughter. I guess he watches George Lopez as well. I quickly joined in the laughter since I've never once seen him laugh in either game. Now I wish they start making the characters laugh. His laugh is so cute! Caleb sat there and watched us laugh as if we both lost our minds, tilting his furry head to one side in confusion. Animals were far from stupid, they could teach us a thing or two about survival. But he didn't get the joke and he wanted us to move so that we could leave the village. I didn't blame him, I wanted out of here too.

After our laughing fit was over, we got back to business by getting ready before heading through the left door. Leon gripped his shotgun tightly and pushed open the weathered door. We stepped through and listened intently for the sounds of Ganados, even Caleb kept his ears open for the villagers. Right in front of us was another little wagon filled with explosives but there weren't any villagers behind it. That was odd, in the game as soon as Leon stepped through the door a group of Ganados would attack. Where were the villagers? What does the "game" have in store for us now?

"I don't like this..." I muttered as we looked around the area, "Where are the enemies?"

"I would like to say this is a good sign," Leon growled, "but yeah, this is creepy."

I stared at the cart for a second before taking an Incendiary grenade and another shirt string. If my guess is right, the villagers know we're here already but are waiting for us to make the first move. I looped the sting around the grenade's ring. And I'll bet they'll ambush us as soon as Leon goes past the cart. I walked toward the cart, keeping my eyes on the wooden wall covering part of the platform. I tucked the grenade between two barrels of gunpowder and edged back.

"Hey, Leon, I bet the villagers are waiting for us to go."

"Yeah, I figured this was a trap. Will you stay here while I go flush 'em out?"

"Alright, but will you keep to the right of the cart's path?"

"Uh..okay, why?"

"You'll see..."

Leon looked a little confused but decided not to argue, instead he went went around to the right side of the cart and stayed there as he walked forward. As if on cue, the villagers rushed out from behind the wall, shrieking out in spanish and waving their weapons. Leon fired into the crowd, keeping them at bay as I ran to the cart. Time to set my trap in motion. I reached the back of the cart and gave it a hard kick toward the crowd. The little wooden wagon rattled down the path, past the agent, I yanked on the shirt string, setting the cart ablaze. The two forces met and...

_**BOOM!**_

Ganados flew everywhere, some were blown back, a few were set ablaze, and others were completely blown to bits. The agent gave me a thumbs up as I smiled back at him, feeling a lot better now. Another small group of Ganados rushed out and Leon fired on them, trying to keep them away from me. I merely stood back and wished to have a gun of my own, a few managed to by pass my hero and headed straight for me. I tensed and Caleb leaped out and tackled the nearest villager, gnawing on the person's neck. I waited for the others to get within range and lashed out with a more-or-less imitation of Leon's roundhouse kick. Just watching him do it was enough for me to learn it... somewhat.

There was a sick _crack!_ as the female villager's neck broke from the force of the kick. Wow... I didn't know I could break necks. Caleb leaped at another Ganado, making sure that I wasn't overwhelmed as I kicked out at the others. I paused in my attacks and ducked as the last duo's heads exploded in a gory mess of blood and brain matter. Thank you, Leon! With them done, the agent jogged back to me and gave me an amused look. I blushed.

"Wow... When did you learn how to do the roundhouse kick?" Leon asked, a proud tone in his voice, "Nice going."

"Thanks. Um, I learned it by watching you do it." I said, rubbing the back of my neck in embarrassment, "It's not as good as your kick, though."

"With a bit of practice it will."

"True."

Before we left to climb the platform, Caleb coughed up a piece of Ganado flesh and looked rather sick. Poor Caleb. Equipped with natural weapons, protecting us and ends up swallowing a piece of human flesh. Ick. The dog coughed up another piece and spat it out. Yeah... I would do that too if I were him. Leon scrunched up his face at the sight.

"Hey, Leon." I murmured, stopping short on the path. The agent turned to me, waiting for me to continue as Caleb kept an eye out for anymore villagers.

"Yeah?"

"Um, in places like this, don't bad guys keep lookouts around here?"

"Hmm... yeah, they would." He switched to the rifle and peered through the scope, "Ah ha... I see now. Thanks, Rally."

I smiled as he cocked the rifle, aimed and fired a perfect head shot to the female villager that walked right into the weapon's sights. No Ganado heard the shot and therefore none came to attack. The agent turned and looked behind the wooden wall and saw another Ganado wandering around aimlessly further down next to the ladder. He aimed and fired, blowing Don José's head clean off. Again, no one came to attack after two of their own were killed. Maybe they just didn't care unless we showed our faces.

We headed for the ladder and climbed it, keeping low and out of sight of the villagers until we could get Caleb up the ladder. Leon spotted the other rusty red container and told me to hide in it. I scowled a little but obeyed if Leon took Caleb with him and to _not_ jump into the circular pit just yet. He agreed and I hopped into the container and readied myself by taking a two grenades in my hands. A flash and a hand grenade. I sat there as I listened to rapid footsteps of Leon and the villagers, my hero's weapons blazing, villagers falling under the assault and Caleb taking down a few.

I restrained from leaping out of the container at Leon's cry of surprise and Caleb's savage bark. A villager must've gotten a little too close to the agent and was attacked by our faithful friend. I waited anxiously for Leon's whistle when... I heard it. The sudden, loud snarl of a chainsaw, followed closely by a feminine shriek of rage. What scared me was that she was _next_ to me when the villager brought her weapon to life. Oh shit! What did Leon do!? Wait... the cry of surprise... one of the villagers pushed Leon into the pit!

_**CRASH!**_

Sister two smashed her way through the boards with her chainsaw and shrieked with rage as she spotted the agent.

The Bella Sisters have arrived

I heard Leon swear and heard him clamber out of the pit via a ladder and kicked it over. I knew he was fearing for my life besides his own since he didn't whistle for me to come out and help. _Oh no you don't Leon! I said I was going to help and I am!_ I popped out of the container and threw a hand grenade into the pit where most of the villagers had jumped into in an attempt to surround Leon. The little grenade exploded and sent villagers flying. Unfortunately, this only irritated the Bella Sisters since it only knocked them over. I climbed out of the container and spotted Leon blasting a few villagers away from himself as Caleb bit a few in the ass to distract them. There were a lot more villagers now than in the game which made it a lot more difficult to help Leon with my weapon supply running low.

The ladder was placed back up and one of the hags was climbing up to slice the agent into bits. The other waited for her turn to climb. How in the world can they climb a ladder with a chainsaw in one hand? I ran to Leon as soon as he dispatched the villagers that were attacking him.

"Leon, come on we have to move! The chainsaw maniacs are coming!" I wailed and began to pull him to one side of the outer rim of the pit. Thankfully, the villagers must've forgotten the second ladder was there and are following us around the rim.

(A/N: I'm going to call the one with the Camp Key, Mary. And the one who has the ruby...Ruby. Is that okay?)

Mary, leading the charge, screamed and ran at us, chainsaw held high. Leon blasted the villagers crowding around her with his shotgun as I waited for my time to strike. It came when the agent blasted one villager into Mary's path, which she paused to push the dead Ganado aside. I threw the flash grenade and earned a handful of cries of pain. I pulled Leon away from the fight as quietly as possible as Mary swung her chainsaw blindly in front of her in hopes of nailing us with her weapon. A Ganado yelled out in frustration, catching the chainsaw hag's attention. She turned in that direction, thinking that was one of us, and swung. She's nailed the ganado in the chest and she shoved her weapon against his body, the chainsaw ripping into his torso.

Leon and I, even Caleb, cringed at the sight as the villager screamed in pain, his blood and tissue flying everywhere as the chainsaw dug deeper into his body. That's a painful way to go...ouch. Sorry, dude! Mary shoved the villager away from her weapon as he slowly died in his own pool of blood. She looked up, no longer blind, and saw that she did not hit us with her toy and that pissed her off. She lifted her chainsaw once more and screamed in rage. Ruby, her twin sister, soon joined in and chased us around the rim. I threw a grenade into the crowd and sent them flying. Mary and Ruby were only thrown back by the blast and landed on their group, their chainsaws slamming into anyone who was unfortunate to meet the sharp end of the saw. Arms and legs, even a few heads were thrown everywhere as the chainsaws ate at anyone who was too close.

Leon grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the entrance of the area, knowing that the platform was too narrow to fight the hags on. And I agree, sure it was perfect to fight them on there since they couldn't surround you but villagers can crowd around them and act like human shields for them. I wasted a lot of ammo in the game, trying to hit the sisters only to end up doing minimal damage to them since the villagers absorb most of the gunfire. We leaped over the edge of the wooden platform just as the Bella Sisters managed to get up and lead what was left of their group after us.

We took our defense by the entrance with Caleb sticking close to me, as the villagers followed us down by jumping down the same edge we used. I turned to my escort and gave him an odd little grin. "Leon, let me take care of the chainsaw hags."

The agent looked at me in surprise, "What?!"

I winked at him. Okay, scaring Leon at times was fun. I love his expression of surprise, it was just cute. "One grenade is all it takes to take care of them. But I need them to be alone, okay? Trust me."

He looked reluctant to listen but nodded, earning a smile from me. Agent Kennedy switched his weapons, bringing out his handgun and fired into the crowd, taking out the villagers. I waited for my chance as Leon avoided firing at the Bella Sisters. Believe me, my plan was good but still, it made me feel uneasy whenever Leon glanced at the sisters, trying to judge their distance and whether or not to keep to my plan. _I sometimes wish I wasn't so stubborn._ I smiled a bit at the thought. Maybe a little bit of Leon's personality is rubbing off on me. Then again, I was a little stubborn before.

_I wonder if we're better off if I acted like Ashley more?_ I shook my head at the thought. Nah. Running away, screaming at the top of my lungs, and allowing Leon to run around by himself getting hurt to save my ass isn't my style. Besides, how many times does anyone get to run around with a sexy guy like Leon in a hostile environment kicking bad guy ass? Not everyday! This may be my only time to spend with Leon before we part ways when we get back home. I scowled a little. _Lucky little bitch, Ashley. You get to have Leon watch over your worthless ass for the rest of your life while I get stuck with only my memories about our misadventures. _At least I've got something to remember him by...

"Too close!" Leon suddenly yelped as he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me away from our defensive position. I blinked in confusion and blushed at his act then nearly shrieked as gray, loud blur swiped the air next me just seconds after I was pulled away from there. Holy shit! Ruby nearly hacked me in half! The agent dodged Mary and somewhat carried me over to the platform away from the chainsaw wielding bitches. I glared at them but then berated myself for not pay attention.

"Hey! You want to hack something!?" I yelled angrily, waving my left arm threateningly at them, "Get over here and try that again!!"

"What are you doing?!" Leon hissed, looking at me like I lost my mind. I guess I kinda did. I mean, I telling two chainsaw maniacs to come over to where we are to hack us to bits...

"Uh... all part of the plan?"

"I think you're just making this up as you go along, aren't you?"

"Uh..yeah...but the end result is still the same."

"Maybe one of the two will... if you don't make your move."

I turned to the entrance and saw the Bella Sisters had halved the distance between us while I was arguing with Leon. I grinned. That was just perfect! I chucked my grenade and bright flash erupted from it, blinding the sisters. Leon blinked in surprise as I motioned him to keep quiet while I was loading my slingshot. Mary and Ruby swiped the air in front of them with their deadly toys, completely blinded by the flash grenade. I aimed my slingshot and fired a rock right between the two sisters. The twins, relying on their hearing now, both turned at the sound between them and swung.

"That is just gross." Leon muttered as we watched the twins shove their chainsaws at each other. Mary and Ruby both thrusted their chainsaws into the other's abdomen, letting the machines borrow into their bodies as they screamed in pain. This lasted only a minute before the twins fell back and died in pools of their own blood with the other's chainsaw embedded in their bodies. Eww... that is gross. But cool!

I walked over to them cautiously, heading over to Mary first. I saw the Camp Key that hung around her neck and reached out to grab it... When Mary decided to come back to life and made a sudden grab for me. I shrieked in shock and leaped back to get away. She was still alive?!

_BLAM!_

Mary's head dropped back to the earth with a neat round hole in her right temple. Well, she's dead now. I clutched the front of my shirt to calm the furious beating of my heart. I glared at her as I took gulps of air to keep myself from fainting.

"Gah! I **hate** it when they do that!" I yelled, "If they don't kill you outright, they try to scare you to death!"

Leon rushed to my side with Caleb following close behind. "Are you okay?" he asked as he kept an eye on Ruby's body. I shook my head, still clutching the front of my shirt.

"No... I feel like I'm gonna have a heart attack." I hissed, then pointed to the key around the hag's neck, "I think that's the key that'll get us out of here."

The agent reached over and snapped the chain off, claiming the key as ours. I reached over and grabbed the ruby that the other sister held in her pocket. I kicked her out of spite, then followed Leon to the platform. We raided the area, giving me some more grenades to throw. But I was no better off than before. I had fifteen grenades, five of each one but now I have thirteen. Five hand grenades, I used one here but found another to replace it. Five Incendiary, never used one yet since the cabin. And three Flash grenades, I used two here and one with El Gigante, reduces to two but found another to add...making it three. _This sucks._

"Leon," I called to him as I placed my flash grenades away, "I'm going to need another weapon. I can't help you with just grenades."

Leon paused for a moment and gave me a sympathetic look. "Then don't. Let me handle the enemies for now, okay?"

"But-"

"You've done enough to help me and I thank you for it, believe me I do. But my mission is to get you home alive and in one piece. You putting yourself in danger to help isn't actually keeping to the mission. I don't want you getting hurt for my faults..."

I lowered my gaze as I realized that it was true. Leon's mission is get me out of here alive and I'm not really helping him in that department when I'm running around, tossing grenades at the poor infected villagers. _He's right. He won't accomplish his mission if I sliced in half by someone when I'm helping him..._ No wonder he freaks out whenever I try to help... I'm putting myself in danger for his sake. Heroic? Yes. Smart? Not so much.

I guess I must've concerned him when I didn't respond with a retort. He grinned at me as he reloaded his handgun. "Besides, you're making me look bad for a government agent." he joked and I cracked a grin. True. He's a government agent, trained to survive anywhere! Protect his subjects with his bare hands! Excels in many kinds of fighting styles! And is getting help from an average twenty-year-old college student who has no knowledge of self-defense. Unless you count the basic stuff and tossing grenades as self-defense...

Yeah... that'll make you blush in the next secret service meeting when the rest of the guys in black poke fun of you.

"I'll try to keep that in mind, Agent Kennedy." I laughed, agreeing to taking a break from fighting for a while... At least until I think Leon needs my help again.

We jumped into the circular pit and headed for the door that led out of the platform. Leon unlocked it and pushed it open quietly as I hid behind him. He edged forward cautiously, listening for anymore villagers that may try to ambush us. Caleb stuck close to me, ears perked and growled softly. So there were villagers guarding the exit. The agent knelt down and looked through a small hole in the wooden wall and sure enough there were villagers guarding the exit, waiting patiently for us to turn the corner.

"Wait." Leon ordered softly which I obeyed with a nod. Caleb took that as his cue to stand by and guard me. The agent walked ahead, ready for the villagers and a fight broke out. Guns were blazing, villagers screaming, and kicks were dished out. My hero jogged backwards, firing his handgun and blew a villager's head apart. Thankfully, no plaga emerged, Leon hailed me over as reloaded his weapon.

"Follow me!" he called and I followed him toward the exit, glad for this part of the nightmare to be over. The agent lifted the doorjam from the handles and pushed it open. We stepped through and came upon the final gate area, the last stop in the village level. The rain had stopped and a cold wind whipped through, giving the area a hollow feel to it, complete with its own merchant and "save" spot.

Unfortunately, the merchant's shop was on the other side of the area and we had to circle around to get to him as the wind continued to howl mournfully. It felt as the wind was telling us something. It was blowing around like in those old movies where the wind sounded hollow, like it was saying, 'You may be alone now but there is danger lurking in the future.' That's what it feels like now...and it's true, the nightmare is not over yet. As Leon sold off some treasure and buying new stuff, I walked around the lower area with Caleb, heading for the door that led to El Gigante's passage. I wanted to take a closer look at it. No wonder there was no key there. The door was welded shut, to trap us there if we had decided to run from the giant instead of staying there to kill it. Man these guys are tricker in real life than in the game.

I turned away from the door and headed for the old shed that held the typewriter. I wandered in and raided the place, snatching up a new grenade for me to use, some rifle and handgun ammo for Leon, and the _Village's Last Defense _file. I was reading it and heading back out when the door flew open and Leon raced inside. I shrieked at the agent's sudden appearance, dropping the file. He looked at me and let out a sigh of relief.

"Gah! Leon! What are you doing!? Trying to give me another heart attack?!" I yelped as I tried to calm my breathing. That's the _second_ time I was scared out of my mind. The agent relaxed and let out another breath of relief with a slight grin on his face.

"Sorry." he apologized then turned serious, "Don't wander off without me; you nearly gave me a heart attack. I thought you got kidnapped again."

My turn to apologize. I gave him a nervous grin, "Sorry. Anyway, I found this." I picked up the file from the floor and gave it to him along with the ammo I found. "What do you suppose it means?"

Leon took and read through it quickly, coming to the ending, " 'For only before my sight will the gate open.' Oookay... That's odd."

"You're telling me." I muttered out a lie, "I don't get it either." _Sorry but you missed the double jeopardy! Of __**course**__ I know what the damn letter meant. Leon, you're going to have to kill Mendez in order for us to leave the village for good._

"Apparently, we're going to need something that'll open the gate but it isn't just an old key." Leon muttered, surprising me. Wow... he gets it. Now the challenge is to get it without dying in the process. "And I'll bet my life that Ol' Mendez has it. I haven't seen him recently while we were in the village last... not that I'm looking forward to meeting up with him again."

I wrapped an arm around my waist and felt queasy. It made me nervous thinking about the encounter but what Leon said. Betting his life on it? What if Mendez isn't there and he goes up against someone else? "Please don't say that Leon..." I muttered.

"Hey, I'm not going to die anytime soon. I prefer to die at a grand old age from natural causes."

"Don't. I can't imagine you being old... its creepy."

"How can it be creepy? I am older than you and you seem fine hanging around old guys."

"You're only older than me by six years, so that doesn't count. Now Saddler... Whewww... He's about two thousand years **older** than sand itself. And I don't like hanging around him."

"That may be true but I am older than you."

"You're not old until you either hit fifty or think you're old. So...hmmm... You're not fifty. And you're a government agent that can do backflips and roundhouse kicks with ease... Nope, you're not old."

Leon sighed, "Whatever. Let's go to the lift station and see if we can find anything useful." I nodded and we headed for the lift station.

When we arrived there, we noticed that the lift was already activated and the lifts were circling to and from other half of the canyon. This made Leon suspicious and I don't blame him, enemies don't activate anything for heroes unless they were up to something. We raided the control room for items and the agent checked the controls to make sure that the villagers didn't tamper with it that may result in our deaths.

(A/N: Okay, I'm going to have the lifts closer together for a reason which you'll read coming up next. Enjoy.)

We boarded the next leaving lift and waited for our ride to be over as the air grew colder as we ascended to the next station. Soon as we were well away from the safety of the station, we saw the pairs of yellow eyes glowing in the dark. Caleb sniffed the air and growled angrily. The agent narrowed his eyes and brought up his handgun. The Ganados had us were they wanted us.

"I knew it." Leon hissed and fired at the approaching villagers, knocking them off their lifts. I relished in their fading screams as they disappeared into the dark abyss below us. Suddenly, our lift pitched to one side and the disturbing sounds of metal banging on metal caused us both to look up. Several Ganados were on top of our lift, hacking away at the chains that linked us to the cable. Leon blasted them off but several more hopped on the roof and continued to hack. _Oh, crap! The chains...they're going to bust!_

Leon figured that because he was already judging the distance between our lift to the one after it. Oh, god Leon... don't tell me... He perched himself on the rail as the villagers continued to attack the chain and leaped toward the next lift. He grabbed ahold of the lift's rail and pulled himself up and into the ride. Caleb followed suit and landed gracefully inside the lift.The agent turned to blast them off but the look on his face told me everything. Even if he did blast them off the roof of my lift, the damage was already done. The chains were about to break.

"Come on, Rally, you're going to have to jump!" he called out, holding his arms out to me. I shook my head and stepped away from the rail, too scared to obey. "Rally, you have to jump!"

"N-no..."

"I'll catch you, don't worry!"

I shook my head and screamed as an axe flew past me, missing me by an inch. Leon blasted the Ganados from their lift and turned back to me.

"Listen to me, the chains aren't going to hold out long. You have to jump!"

"O-okay..." I stammered and climbed onto the rail. Man I was seriously shaking but it was true. The chains are about to give and I didn't have time to freak out... but my body wouldn't respond. Just then my lift jolted downward, causing me to scream out in fear and Leon to panic by gripping the rail of his lift.

"Rally!"

The jolt also made me look down and revealed just how big and deep the black abyss was below me. That alone froze me solid.

"I-I can't!"

"Yes, you can!"

"B-but-" I glanced downward again, feeling the vertigo.

"Don't look down!"

"Too late!"

"Rally, listen! Focus on me! Forget everything else and focus on me!"

"I-I'll try."

I lifted my gaze and focused on Leon but the lift jolted again and the metal groaned under the extra weight. Holy crap! The villagers were board my lift! The chains can't handle the weight! The agent swore but kept his focus on me and held out his arms. I exhaled slowly and focused on the agent, readying myself for the jump. I heard the villagers chuckling evilly behind me. Oh, god... can I make this jump?

_Forget them...focus on Leon. Forget everything else...focus on Leon!_

I felt the villagers' hands brush against my sides and I did my best to ignore them. _Focus on Leon...Focus on Leon!_

_"NOW!"_ Leon yelled and I jumped just as the chains snapped apart and sent the villagers plummeting to their deaths. The agent grabbed my wrists as I slammed against the side with a cry of pain. I breathed hard and looked up at Leon's smiling face.

"See? I told you I would catch you." he murmured, "You did good, Rally."

"Thanks...to...you..." I gasped out with a shaky grin.

An axe whizzed by and grazed Leon's left arm. He cried out in pain and surprise as he reflexively released my wrist as pain shot up his arm. I screamed in fright as I scrambled at bars until my hands hit the floor of the lift, my body dangling beneath the lift and swung like a pendulum. The dog automatically grasped the collar of my shirt with his jaws and braced his legs to hold me fast. Nice thought, but the fabric could tear from the strain.

"Damnit!" Leon hissed as he fired on the villagers as they continued to throw their weapons at us both. "Hang on, Rally!" The wind picked up on force and blew hard against me. I felt like a wind chime being blown around in hurricane force winds. Either the wind is trying to help me up the lift or trying to slap me off of it, I couldn't really tell.

"I'm hanging! Oh, I'm hanging alright!" A sickle whistled past my right arm and I freaked, "_Leon!_ They're throwing their axes at me now!"

"Die already!" the agent snapped at the Ganados and blasted the last one of the current lift. He holstered his handgun and reached over the rail to grab my hand. "Come on, girl. Give me your hand!"

I reached out, grabbing for his lower arm and he grabbed mine. Together we hoisted my body over the rail and onto the lift. The wind blew hard, knocking us both over and causing me to fall on **top** of my hero as Caleb scrambled out of the way. I blushed fiercely and rolled off, muttering an apology as the lift finally pulled into the station. We quickly got off before it pulled out. As soon as my feet hit the pavement, I felt my body quiver from the shock of our nightmare ride.

The agent rushed to my side and tied to console me when I was near the edge of breakdown. Hey, you would nearly breakdown too, if you were dangling off a lift and over a thousand plus foot drop into darkness! Leon pulled me into a hug and murmured a few things that I couldn't understand as I continued to shake and tried hard not to cry. I blushed a bit at his kind act but really didn't focus on it... Believe me, it would be for the best if I didn't concentrate on the hug or exactly how close he was to me.

He pulled away a bit and looked at me with concern. And I wanted to cry because I could see the worry, fear and pain in his blue gaze for not being able to protect me well enough on the lift. "Are you okay?" he asked softly and I nodded wordlessly. _No, I'm not. I'm still half freaked out about the nightmare lift and the hug you gave me. I won't be like Ashley...I won't be like Ashley!_

We raided the station and descended the stairs beneath the lift station. I hung back with Caleb watching out for me when Leon ventured into the caves and returned with the Yellow Catseye. I noticed that he didn't heal his arm injury when blood dripped from his fingers. "Leon... you're still hurt." I said, tearing the leaves of both the Green and Red Herbs. He shrugged and held out his arm for me to heal. I sprinkled the torn bits onto the injury and watched them work their magic and heal the injury.

"All better!" I joked lightly and Leon grinned at me as we descended the second set of stairs.

"Ah.. feeling better are we?"

"Yeah... a little at least. I'm still kinda shaky from what that jump."

"I would be scared if you weren't shaky from that jump."

"Why? You weren't shaking in your boots when you made the jump."

"Believe it or not but I was seriously scared to make the jump. I was afraid that I wasn't going to make it and you'll end up falling with me."

"But you're an agent! I'm sure they trained you guys to make those jumps everyday."

"Well, sort of. They didn't train us to jump from ski lift to ski lift from a thousand foot drop or under a time limit for real."

"Wow... you're putting all your training the test in this mission and undergo some new training that the higher ups in the government hadn't thought of."

"Yup."

"Hey, there's the merchant!"

"Great, I can sell off the Beerstein and buy some new upgrades."

"Sweet!"

We headed for the merchant who was more than glad to show us his wares. As Leon sold off the completed Beerstein and bought new upgrades for his TMP and shotgun, I poked around the stacks of weapons.

"Hey, are you done with the Chicago Typewriter yet, merchant?" I asked, then remembered I still had the ruby I took from one of the chainsaw twins. I handed it to Leon and saw that the merchant's eyes glowed at the sight of the rare stone.

"No, lass, it's not done. I won't be sellin' that li' beauty 'til the time is right and when ya really need it." he said sternly as he continued to stare at the stone. I pouted. _Aw man... he probably won't fork it over until the end of the adventure._ "Ah... I'll be buying it at a high price."

"What about the rocket launcher?"

The agent perked at the mention of the weapon, "Rocket Launcher? You have a rocket launcher?"

The robed figure narrowed his eyes, "Ya don't need it for what's up ahead, strangers. When the worse of things start poppin' up then I'll yeh the item. 'Til then don't ask for it again."

"What's up ahead?" Agent Kennedy questioned suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at the merchant, who only grinned in return.

"That's for yeh to find out, strangers. But believe me, ya better watch yer back. Now are yeh goin' to sell me the ruby or not?"

"Yeah, I will."

The merchant held out a large pouch full of pesetas, which he placed on a weighing scale and read it out. It was ten thousand pesetas for the ruby. Leon considered it and smiled.

"Deal." he said, handing the ruby over and getting the bag of money for it. He then used some of it to buy his upgrades, which the merchant took from and modified it. It was actually interesting to watch him tinker away at the weapons to make them more powerful than before. "Come back anytime."

After our shopping was done, we turned to the gate that was a feet from the merchant's shop. Leon held up his handgun and started for the gate, I followed. I blew out a shaky breath and set my face.

_Alright, Mendez. Time to fork over the False Eye, you Leon hating jerk!_

It's time to meet up with the village chief for one final time...

I only hope Leon will be the one walking out...

--------------------

Okay, time to vote!

Do you guys want me to follow the rules of the game and get caught by the trap Ashley was caught in or do you prefer that I bend the rules and follow Leon throughout his little ordeal? Think carefully though! You may or may not hear Leon's cute line of "Don't worry, Rally! I'm coming for ya!"

Oh, and if you want Luis to die or not. (I'll probably kill him to make this fic a little more dramatic and not have to carry him all over the place but I still want to hear from you guys). I may do an alternate chapter of this and maybe a bonus chapter after this fic is done. Got ideas for the fic or one of my fics...? Then drop me a line on my email, which is in my bio. See ya!

Oh...I will be doing the whole ritual deal as well but I'm not good at translating. My spanish is pretty off in both writing and speaking. So any of you good translators? I'm working on the ritual chant that will be said during the deal, so if you're a good translator tell me please may be leave me your e-mail address and I'll send you the english version of the chant and you can translate it for me. I'll credit when the chapter pops up, okay? You get Leon huggies and stuff! (hold out a plushie. Which is Leon in a chibi form.)

It talks too! And can say all the phrases in the game and more so! (Squeezes the plushie)

Leon Plushie: (in a squeaky absolutely cute voice) _Monsters... I guess after this there'll be one less to worry about._

(squeezes again)

Leon Plushie: _Waaay. _

(squeezes again)

Leon Plushie: _I knew you'd be fine if you landed on your butt._

(squeezes again)

Leon Plushie: _Hang on, sweetheart!_

This plushie can do it all! Fights monsters, blows up villagers, saves damsels in distress! And... (whispers) if you look closely at night you can see it play RE4 in your room while you're asleep! Or cuddle up with you in your bed and hug its Chicago Typewriter!

Enjoy!!! Please R&R!


	8. Villager Chief and the Mad Dash

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and _Hero_ is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry! Oh, and I'll be adding _Holding Out For A Hero_ by Bonnie Tyler once I have the song. I've already have the lyrics but need the music of it to actually know when to shove this little beauty in the fic.

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Seven: The Village Chief and the Dash for the Castle!

We stepped through the gate and found ourselves in another patch of dark woods. A dirt path stretched toward the forest, angled down to the left and disappeared into the misty darkness. This path could only lead to the "enlighten" shed, where Mendez awaited Leon for the encounter... hopefully. If it was anyone else, like Krauser, we were screwed. Not from the sure early death of us both but the fact that if it was him and we survived him then we're trapped in the village section forever. The Village Chief was the only one who had the key to the final village gate.

I thought about it for a few seconds. _Well, the village wasn't that bad. We could handle the village pretty well by ourselves..._ I suddenly felt queasy as I wrapped my arms around my waist. My stomach churned and I felt like throwing up just then. I resisted the urge to moan. An early stage symptom of the plaga inside of me?! I berated myself for forgetting. _Gah! We can't stay here forever! That'll only ensure us our doom of being Saddler's fucking puppets! The longer we stay here, the more time the plagas will have to grow within us! We have to hope that Mendez is there, kick his seven foot ass, grab his false eye, and get the hell out of here!_

Leon looked at me and noticed that I was holding my stomach slightly pain. "Rally, are you okay?" I froze at his question and thought fast. _Ahh... what to say? What to say?_ I forced a smile and released my waist, despite my stomach's protests. "Y-yeah. I'm just anxious on getting out of here, y'know? We're close on getting out of the village and find a safe place to rest and hide." _Tch. Yeah, right. The castle is about as safe as sharing a home with the Bella Sisters._ The agent didn't look convinced about my answer but thankfully let the matter drop.

He trudged down the path warily as I followed, keeping my eyes and ears open for anymore of the "game's" surprises. God only knows how much I hate bad twists. We followed the winding path down the short hill, listening for anything that might sound as an ambush. The dense woods soon gave way to a man made clearing and nestled in the trees like dark vulture was the shed where Mendez was waiting for us.

_Oh man..._

The agent headed straight for its doors, a determined expression on his face. Caleb and I followed him to the foreboding building while Agent Kennedy paused before the doors with a frown. I stood next him, looking at the storage shed as Caleb sat down and looked at us both. From the corner of my left eye, I saw Leon glance at me before his blue gaze shifted back to the building before us. I knew exactly what he was thinking and I wasn't going to argue with him this time. This is Mendez. The village chief who hated Leon for just being an outsider even though he carried the "same blood" as cult did. A fight that should only be fought between the two. Besides, I'll do more harm than good if I went in with Leon; grenades don't distinguish who's who once thrown in a small room. If Mendez is intelligent enough to be Saddler's right hand man then he can easily use what I have against Leon and it would be my fault.

Leon sighed softly and turned to me, "Rally..."

I turned to face him, "Yeah, Leon?"

"I know you're going to hate me for this but... will you go hide?"

I smiled and nodded, surprising the agent. "Okay," I reached out and gave him a hug, wrapping my arms around his athletic frame. "No matter what happens, Leon, I know you'll come out on top."

He blinked in surprise, "What's this all about?"

"Nothing... I just appreciate you for all that you've done for me so far." I released him from the hug and scurried away to find a hiding spot near by. I around the side of the building (Leon would come out through) as Caleb followed, decided that it wasn't safe enough and circled around it to the other side. The entrance to this side of the building was blocked by a small firewood shed. Okay, so its not the best hiding spot in the world but at least its something I could duck behind in case Ganados decided to sweep the area. I leaned against the wall and listened as Leon entered the building.

For about two minutes there was nothing, then the sudden agent's yelp of surprise and a bodily _wham!_ I cringed at the screeching sound of twisting metal. _Holy crap! Mendez can twist metal with his bare hands?!_ I listened closely, pressing my ear against the wall. There was a metallic _thump!_, quiet liquid waterfall and...

"Hasta luego!" Leon sneered...

_Blam!_

_**BOOM!**_

I pulled back from the wall at the sound of the explosion and grinned a little. Man, I still think Leon is part Hispanic and I love that line!

_"Ggrraahhh!"_

Oh, shit... Mendez's coat has just burned off and is transforming! _That's okay, Leon can handle himself. He's been through worse at Raccoon while only armed with some basic guns and he can out fine. Granted that he was shot near the end but he still came out on top._ I relaxed, murmuring the same line of thinking over and leaned against the wall once more...

There were quite a few desperate gunshots and savage snarls from the village chief...

My eyes flew open as realization hit me like a ice cold slap. _GAH!!!! HE DOESN'T KNOW MENDEZ'S WEAK POINT! OR WHAT TO DO AFTER HE CAUSES ENOUGH DAMAGE!_ I shrieked at myself mentally. How could have I've been so stupid?! How could I forget to tell the agent the boss's weakness?! I wrung my hands in worry over the agent's safety and how to tell him Mendez's weak point. I sighed irritably at myself. _Oh, fucking great! We nearly die at the village, mobbed at the cabin, almost lost Leon to El Gigante, I almost got sliced in half by the Bella Sisters and I nearly fell to my death over at the lift! We come this far and so close to leaving the village for good and I go and forget to tell Leon how to beat Mendez!! THIS SUCKS!!_

And just as I finished those words, a loud crash sounded from behind me, and I was thrown forward by the force of it. I blinked at Caleb and saw that the crash had knocked him out, lying limply under a couple of pieces of board. I felt a sudden pressure around my waist and I thought that I pinned under the debris. And I was... for about five seconds before I was roughly yanked from under the pile and the pressure around my body increased. I didn't get a chance to scream because the movement was so fast and sudden that it disoriented me. One second I'm shivering from the cold outside and then I'm in a warm.. no.. _hot_ place! Where am I?!

"You will surrender the girl to us and pledge your allegiance to Lord Saddler." I heard Mendez snarl at the agent. _Okay, that's weird. Never heard Mendez threaten Leon like this in the game... Wait, what am I talking about? Most of what's going on doesn't make sense or follow the game's rules._ _And why does he sound so close? _"Or the girl dies right now..."

The pressure around my waist increased again and I screamed out in pain. "Rally!" Leon cried out in fear. _What the hell is going on?! _I looked around the area I was currently in and freaked. Oh my freakin' god! I'm in the shed were the battle is held! I glanced at my waist and noticed that two powerful pincers were clamped around me. My eyes widen at the sight of them. _Oh, shit... _

I flailed wildly in Mendez's grip in hopes of freeing myself. EW! I'm strapped to him like an accessory! What am I?! A la plaga "Hello Kitty" backpack?! The village chief tighten his grip and I whimpered as the pressure threatened to bite into my skin. This is not good; if I'm too close to the enemy, Leon won't fight back!

"Well, outsider?" the seven foot tall man sneered, "Will you join us and allow the girl to live or defy us and have her death be on **your** shoulders?"

I twisted around as best I could to peer over the chief's shoulder and look at my hero. I hope he's glaring at this guy and kick his ass but... I got the exact opposite. The agent gazed at me with concern in his blue eyes and his shoulders slumped at the situation, the handgun barely hanging on his fingertips. He only held my gaze for a second before he lowered his eyes. I stared at him in shock. I've never seen him look like this, not in Raccoon City, the Umbrella cruise ship the _Starlight_, or earlier in this adventure...

(A/N: Okay, I don't know the whole deal about Resident Evil: Gaiden. Sources say that it's not part of the actual time line and some say it does imply, so I have no idea who to trust. But I stuck it in here just in case. Now, did Leon really go aboard the _Starlight_, I don't know and I do care about finding out. Did Leon really get infected while on board the damn cruise ship? Again, don't know and do care. Now if anyone has the game or at least the know the story about it please tell me... It may prove useful for one of my fics, that and I'll know what the hell happened to him. Sorry for rabbling. On with the fic!)

"I...I..." Leon mumbled, his body trembling in both anger and fear.

The agent is giving up to the enemies because of me?!

This was completely new...

And I **hated** it.

I thrashed wildly and shrieked angrily from Mendez's back. _"LEON! YOU BETTER NOT GIVE UP ON ME!" _I screamed in fury, "Don't listen to him! Fight! Your mission is to get me home, isn't it?! You can't accomplish that if you give up and become Saddler's bodyguard!" I sighed, stopping my struggles. "If you're going to give up on me then fight him for yourself." I said sadly, "You've spent your life protecting others... Well, the time's come for you to fight for yourself. Forget everyone else for a change and fight him your own sake. If I die, I die, there's nothing to change that. If I do then tell my parents that I died helping you...that I died a fighter... like my mother raised me to be. Like your friends raised **you** to be."

I looked over at him again and I saw that he had stopped shaking and tighten his grip on the handgun. The agent blew out his breath in an angry hiss and looked up at Mendez, blue eyes blazing with new fire. I smiled. _Oh, yeah, baby! Leon is back and more than ready to kick a certain village chief's ass!_

"Let. Her. Go." Leon snarled at Mendez, switching to the TMP and aimed at his face.

The village chief glared at him, "I see. I knew I was right about you." He tighten his grip on me and forced the air out of my lungs, I gasped out in pain and tried to regain my wind. Leon lowered his weapon a bit in worry. I was getting pissed and I glared at the village chief from the corner of my eyes and raised my legs straight out and kept my feet close together. "I'll be sure to give the girl time to weep in sorrow over your body."

_"WILL YOU STOP SQUEEZING ME LIKE A PLUSHIE!?"_ I yelled angrily and brought my legs down, slamming my heels against his exposed spine. Score one for the heroes!

Mendez reared back in pain from my heel slam, arching his back awkwardly. Ew... I tried to struggle free but the village chief just held me tighter as he continued stumbling towards the agent in pain. The agent blinked in surprise and I wailed out in distress, the seven foot man's grip increased in pressure and my ribs felt like caving in at that point. My hero noticed my labored breathing and was about to run around the boss to free but I couldn't let that happen! I just know that Mendez was waiting for the moment that Leon will drop his guard...

"Don't, Leon!" I yelled out and struggled again, "I'll free myself! Aim for his spine! No matter what happens just keep firing at his spine!"

"But-" Leon protested and I glared at him weakly.

"Damnit, Leon, for _fucking_ once will you just listen to me?!" I snapped, "Trust me! Pump his spine full of lead!"

"Alright!"

Leon fired madly at the village chief's weak point as the man brought himself back up like liquid. Eww! Mendez shrugged off some of the shots and started to corner the agent in one part of the shed. _Oh, no you don't, Mendez! You're not going to corner him for an easy kill!_ I lifted my legs again and slammed my heels against his spine, earning a scream of pain from the village leader. He arched back as his spine spasmed, unable to attack Leon now.

"Run around him and get to the other side of the room!" I called out and grinned as the agent darted around the villager and headed for the other side. I remembered that there was a red explosive barrel on that side... a hit from that will seriously damage the chief...

"Leon! The barrel! Shoot the barrel when he get's close!" I called out, getting a shocked look on the blonde's face.

"What?! But you'll-!" he protested with a shake of his head. I frowned.

"If you don't do it then I will!" I hissed, motioning him to look at my hands. Nestled in my right hand was a Hand grenade and my thumb was through the ring. A flick of the finger and the grenade will be armed and detonate within three seconds...more than enough to drop it next to the red barrel. Leon glared at me as the village chief pulled himself back up.

"Are you fucking crazy?!" he yelled.

"I rather be crazy enough to kill myself than wait around and be a religious maniac's mindless puppet!" I shot back as Mendez marched toward Leon with the intent of ripping him to shreds. _Heh. Good luck to that, jackass! A few seconds you won't be able to stand over him!_ The agent aimed at the advancing chief and saw that he was nearing the barrel. As Mendez stepped into the barrel's blast range, the agent switched targets and fired at the red barrel.

_**BOOM!**_

The village leader staggered from the blast and I howled out in pain as the flames lapped at my arms and several pieces of shrapnel embedded themselves against my right side. _AHH! JESUS FREAKIN' CHRIST! Why do I always make things harder for the agent?!_ I whimpered through clenched teeth and tears._ At least I got the least amount damage..._ Mendez pulled himself back up, glared at the agent and snarled. _And why didn't the village idiot lose his legs yet?!_ I raised my battered legs and slammed my heels against his spine again, relishing in the sounds of Mendez's scream of pain. But apparently, he didn't want to suffer alone and I was the one who pissed him off. He snarled at me and I had only a second to realize what he was going to do.

_Oh.. shit..._

His insect claws clamped around my body so hard that it forced the air out of my lungs and dung into me deeply. Oh, god, I think he's trying to crush me! He whirled around and threw me aside like a broken toy. I flew across the room and slammed into a stack of crates and screamed out in agony. A piece of wooden board had sliced at my left side, thankfully it missed my organs but still hurt like a bitch. My vision began to fade from both the blood loss and pain...

_"SON OF A BITCH!"_ Leon raged angrily and I saw Mendez fly back from a shotgun blast... at least his upper half. The lower half staggered around a bit, gushing out blood before falling to the ground and twitching madly. I managed a half grin at the sight before my world went black and unconsciousness draped over me like a soft silk veil...

_Too...bad... I won't...get...to see...Mendez die..._

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_Oww... My body hurts..._

" 'ey, stranger! I think she's coming around!"

"Thank God... I thought I almost lost her."

_Lost me to what...?_

I forced my eyes to open a crack, letting them adjust to the light. Two blurry figures hovered over me and focused on them, trying to lift the foggy dizziness from my mind. My vision sharpened and I found that the two figures were Leon and the merchant, both had worried expressions and both then looked relieved when I opened my eyes fully.

"What happened?" I mumbled as the two men sat back and allowed fresh air to blow into my face. Oh, sweet fragrance of fresh air! Leon looked at me with concern at my question. Caleb seemed confused as he rested his head on my lap, almost to comfort me as well as himself.

"You don't remember?" the agent asked as he packed away his weapons and that's when I took in my surroundings. I was lying on a cot outside of the gate that led to Mendez, in front of the merchant's shop. If I keep this up I'm going to end up working for the merchant to repay his kindness.

"No. Why?" I muttered and eagerly drank some orange juice that the merchant handed off to me. Why he had orange juice, I'll never know. Then again, I'm not going to question him about it. The agent frowned a little.

"Aye, I believe the shock of the trauma must've mess up your memory a bit, lass." the merchant murmured as he took my cup and filled it with some more juice. I tilted my head at the statement.

"What injuries?"

"Lass, ya were slightly burned, had shrapnel buried into yer right side and yer left side was sliced open by a piece of board." the cloaked figure muttered, "Thankfully they were still in the mild injury range, so the First Aid Sprays were able to heal ya."

"Sorry I asked.." I cringed at the thought. Eww... I'm going to have nightmares about this ordeal... I just know it.

"Those were some serious injuries you took in the battle against the village chief." Leon said, his blue eyes quickly took on the look of fear, "I was able to defeat him but when I went to you, you wouldn't respond."

"Okay, other than the injuries shocking me to unconsciousness, why wouldn't I respond to you?"

"You stopped breathing."

I froze and stared at him in shock. _I stopped breathing?!_ The agent's eyes still had the fearful look. "Apparently, he tried to crush you but didn't. He only managed to force enough air out of your body to make you stop breathing." he sighed shakily, "I picked you up and brought you here to have the merchant heal you."

I still sat there on the cot in shock, letting the information sink in and shuddered. _I almost died..._ "I stopped breathing?" I whispered and clutched the cup in hands tighter. Caleb nuzzled my arm and whimpered at my fear. Both the merchant and agent looked at each other, then back to me and nodded. I gripped the cup tighter and allowed reality to sink in. This certainly didn't happen in the game with Ashely... but this was my fault as well. In the game, Ashely hid somewhere near by at the order of Leon but we don't know where she hid. Before the fight, she disappears and after the fight, she pops up asking if you were alright. I blinked as something else came to mind. Ashley wisely hid **away** from the shed...I didn't it. I wanted to hear the battle, not thinking about the consequences for that choice. And because I was so obsessed with the battle that I nearly had us both pay dearly for that...

I looked at Leon with a haunted look in my eyes, "I stopped breathing?"

"Yeah..." the agented murmured lowering his eyes in shame. _Oh no! He's feeling guilty!_

"But if I stopped breathing then how come I'm up now?" _Curse you, my mouth!_

Leon managed a half smile, "Well, one can't be a government agent without some basic medical training. That includes CPR..."

I blushed and slid my vision over to the merchant, who gave me a sneaky smile and nodded, confirming my unspoken question. _OH MY FREAKING GOD!!!_ The color around my cheeks deepened and I drank from the cup to hide it._ Leon kissed me!!! Uh... well... sorta... it's not technically a "kiss." He just put his mouth on mine in order to force feed my lungs with air. Besides, he had to in order to save my dumb ass..._ I sighed mentally. _That's not really helping me is it? ...No, I didn't think so. Why is this so hard to brush it off as a "save the damsel in distress" technique and tell myself that it's nothing to get excited about?_

"Rally... are you... blushing?" Leon asked as he peered closely at my face with a suspicious look in his face. _Leon... back off... that's not helping my thinking._ I leaned back, cup still over my mouth and shook my head. The agent didn't look convinced and the merchant was grinning away like an idiot. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." I squeaked and blushed deeply at the sound of my voice. _Argh! No! Don't squeak! Never squeak when answering that kind of question!_ I swallowed another mouthful of water and repeated my answer in a much more controlled voice. Okay, so what if I have a crush on the guy?! He's a cute guy! And I'm a girl... I can't help it! Who in their right mind want to brush him off?! At least he doesn't know. Good GOD I don't want him to know... _Wait... at the end, he knew that Ashley had feelings for him... Jesus! What if he knows now!? Argh! That'll be embarrassing! I'm not Ashley! I'm NOT Ashley! I'm not the little blonde slut who wants to chain the agent to her bed for fun! Leon is a friend... a cute, handsome, sexy... NO! Don't think that! Bad train of thought! BAD train of thought! Okay, so he's cute, he's sexy, flexible and hot! That's fine, but he's just a friend...nothing more... He's just a really really hot 'n' sexy fri-_

"What did you say?" Leon asked me suddenly and I froze. Did I just say that out loud?!

"Nothing." I answered quickly and took another swig of water, swallowing it, "Why?"

"You were mumbling something about "bad train of thought" and something else. I really didn't quite catch that." he asked as he looked at me with concern. I mentally kicked myself. _Way to go moron! Any louder and he'll find out. Why not spare him the guessing and tell him that you got a crush on him?! Ahhh, that's right! He's already got two girls after him and I'm sure he doesn't want a third one hunting him down. He'll probably end up running and screaming into the night because of that. Or he could turn cold and feel sick that he's stuck on a mission with a love struck girl, who (he thinks) only helps him in order to demand some kind of "payment" later on. Which I don't want... the only thing I want from him is just his friendship. Where I'm from.. I don't have many friends and I cherish friendships a lot more than anything else. For the love of God, he's a person... not prime beef!_

I handed the cup back to the merchant, who was still grinning, and stood up shakily. The agent looked at me in surprise and stood up quickly to catch me as I wobbled a little and nearly fell over. "What are you doing? You've just recovered!" he yelped as I leaned heavily on him. Blood weakness sucks.

"I know but we've got to get out of here before the villagers reach the final gate." I said as I quickly leaned on my other leg away from Leon, "Did you get the key from Mendez?"

The agent stuck out his tongue at the mention of it, "Yeah... a weird, yet disgusting key." He held out the False Eye toward me and (desperate to change subjects) I squealed in joy. Leon looked at me funny. "Why are you squealing in joy? It's an eye."

I grinned and poked at the porcelain sphere. "Dude, I was born four days before Halloween. I grew up loving scary stuff."

The agent sighed, "Well, that explains why you haven't been flinching at the sight of blood spraying everywhere. Alright, we'll go but are you sure you can walk on your own?"

I nodded eagerly, "Yeah, I'm fine. Come on let's go!"

We both packed our stuff, said good bye to the merchant (though he'll pop soon anyway), and hurried back up the steps. We reached the gondola and Leon glared at the lifts. I lowered my eyes in remembrance at the near death experience I went through and I know Leon still thought that it was his fault for not protecting me well enough on this damn thing. I don't hold Leon accountable for it... I blame the Illuminados for it. Damn them and the whole "cleanse the world" shit. Humans are the most flawed and jealous creatures in the planet, another reason why I like animals more. Animals wouldn't give a fuck about meaningless things and they don't fight over anything stupid. We throw fits if things don't go our way. Animals learned to adapt to the situation and go with the flow. No matter how many times anyone can "cleanse" the world of such humans and replace them with better ones, the situation will rise again and the cycle will continue. It just the way things go.

We boarded the lift and crossed over the chasm again. I instinctively backed away from the sides and kept close to Leon and kept my eyes on the platform station on the other side. As I did so, the agent sighed and I blinked in surprise as Leon wrapped his arm around me and gave me another hug. Okay... what the hell?

"I'm sorry..." Leon murmured and I sighed. Oh, god... not again.

"Leon, please...don't apologize. It wasn't your fault." I mumbled back, trying to keep my tears in check. Why does it hurt so much when Leon apologizes?

"I couldn't protect you here or against Mendez..."

"I blame Los Illuminados for this whole shit. The lift ordeal was hard for you to protect me 'cause I can't run or hide anywhere and with Mendez... that was my fault. I should've hidden from the shed and not next to it."

"I know but still..."

"Don't apologize. You did the best you could do and through that that we're still alive and kickin'. So don't feel guilty or else you'll make me feel guilty."

"Why?"

I shook my head, signaling to drop the subject and to help... (Song or lullaby: _Once Upon A December_ by Deanna Carter from the Anastasia soundtrack)

"Dancing bears, painted wings; things I always remember. And a song that somone says...Once upon a December. Someone holds me, safe and warm. Horses prance through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully across my memories. Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember. Things my heart used to know...Once upon a December." I sang softy, "Someone holds me, safe and warm. Horses prance through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully across my memories. Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember. Things my heart used to know... Things it yearns to remember. And a song someone says...Once upon a December."

Leon smiled, "You sing quite well."

"Thank you." I blushed.

"Can you sing another one? We still have some time before we reach the other side."

"Sure..." I took a deep breath. (Song: _Lullaby_ by Mandah) "Mmm...Mmm...Oh, yeah... Just 'cause I'm small, I can't hurt you at all. I'm only a girl, oh, what to do? Let me sing my song for you. Not many can resist my command, I know just how to get to you. Let me sing my song for you." I sang, "When you lay down late at night, I'm the siren you can't fight. I know that you don't stand a chance. There's nothing you can do, once I put my spell on you, when I sing my lullaby. Lull-lull-lullaby... Lull-lull-lullaby... Lull-lull-lullaby...When I sing to you my lullaby..."

I sang the rest of the song the whole way through the ride and ended it just as we reached the station. We got off and headed for the final gate out of the village. We stood before the gate and Leon held up the False Eye, allowing the scanner to scan it and unlock itself. I took the eye and stuffed it into my pocket as a souvenir. We pushed open the gate and stepped through.

Ahead of us was a path that led up a small hill and to our left was a large stone castle. _Damn Salazar._ At the very top of the hill were... you guessed it!...more villagers waiting for us. If they're there then the truck was as well. The agent didn't move nor did I and the villagers didn't seem to notice us since we were far from them. We looked up at them and tried to find away to get rid of them without alerting the others. I knew that no matter what, the other villagers will show up and chased us to the castle.

Leon scowled, "Great, they're blocking our way out of here."

I grinned a little, "Leon, I've got an idea. But whatever you do stay here and aim up the middle section of the path." I took off like a shot up the hill as Leon yelled at me for being crazy.

"Rally, wha-? WAIT!" he yelled as I raced up the hill to get the truck driver's attention. And it worked. A villager announced to the others of our arrival and I heard the _vrooorm!_ of the truck's engine. Villagers streamed down the hill as the blue-green truck honked loudly and ran them over in eagerness to get at us first. I whirled around and ran back down, telling Leon to fire at the windshield to kill the driver. The agent swore at the sight, glared at me and I winced. Oh... he's pissed off at me...again. He fired at the windshield, killing the driver. The truck swerved to its left suddenly, tipped over and crashed into the rock wall.

I was suddenly tackled to the ground as a hub cab flew past me and Leon's breath hissed in my face. I locked eyes with the agent as he gave me a deadly glare. The Wesker look was back. "Rally," he hissed in a tightly controlled voice, his blue eyes blazing with cold fire. "**Never do that to me again.** Warn me of your plan _before_ you go charging off. I'm supposed to protect you but I can't do that if you think that this is game and you have the option to hit the 'reset' button if you fuck up on something!"

I blinked at in shock at his sudden change in attitude and realized that what I did wasn't smart. _He's right. This isn't a game anymore... in fact it never was as soon as Krauser kidnapped me._ My face flushed for two reasons. One, he was right about this, that the hub cab nearly sliced my head off and I've got to stop pissing Leon off. Two... he was on top of me. He was holding the bulk of his weight with his forearms and had his body cover mine as a shield against the debris the truck's crash threw out. My face was only red for the first reason than the latter, which was good for me. I can't be distracted... not in this adventure.

"Sorry." I mumbled as Leon rolled off and stood, helping me to my feet. We quickly collected what was there, ran past the truck to get to the top of the hill. That's when the villagers riding in the back of the truck piled out and came after us. One villager managed to grab ahold of me and I threw my leg out behind me and hit the villager in the gut. The agent whirled around, pulled me away from the villager and opened fired at the group. The group died with bullets riddled into their bodies and we collect what they dropped, headed for the top and looted the barrels. I froze at the sound of the final village gate opening and I peeked around some trees.

Sure enough, the villagers were storming out of the gate. I ducked behind the trees and hissed at Leon. "Leon, we need to get out of here now. The villagers are coming!"

"What?! Oh, shit!"

We sprinted out of the trees and we ran for the castle gate. The villagers charged after us, swarming the hill like angry ants. I looked back and the sea of ganados, a mixture of farm weapons and torches, grew in size as more villagers streamed in. Oh, my god! I've never seen this many enemies before in my life. The sheer amount enemies that had attacked us at the cabin was nothing compared to what was coming after us now.

"Run from the villagers! Run from the villagers!" I yelled out in panic as we streaked down the path to reach the castle drawbridge. The thunder of their footsteps drowned out the stillness of the night and several sickles and axes whistled past us. We raced across the bridge as the villagers turned the corner of the path. Leon pointed out the two cranks.

"You take that one!" he called out and we both went to our respective cranks. "Ready? Turn!"

We turned the cranks with some difficulty and managed to raise the bridge, cutting the villagers off from us. Though one had guts to try and jump the gap... he didn't make it. We both collapsed from the mad dash and from working the drawbridge. I sighed. We're tired, dirty... and we've just went from bad to worse...

_I hate you Salazar..._

We've now entered the Salazar Castle level...

Whoopie-fucking-doo...


	9. A Nightmare and Song

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and _Hero_ is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry! Oh, and I'll be adding _Holding Out For A Hero_ by Bonnie Tyler once I have the song. I've already have the lyrics but need the music of it to actually know when to shove this little beauty in the fic.

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Eight: A Nightmare and Song

We both staggered to our feet and looked up at the drawn up bridge. We're safe from danger... for now. I sighed in relief and glanced at my hero, blinking back some sleep. Leon was thrilled... at least he would be if he weren't so fucking tired. He smiled tiredly at me, "Let's lay low in here 'til the other chopper arrives." _Ahh... that's right. Saddler shot down the first one, stranding us at the cabin. Damn you Saddler!_

I faked a smile for his sake. I wasn't going to tell him that the other chopper won't be showing up 'til he gets his ass over to Saddler's island..._Wait... To get to the island... AW MAN! I'm going to be kidnapped again! WAHH! Wait, after that is.. ARGH! I'm gonna have to do the ritual! __**Eww..!**__ I don't want Salazar touching me! Or that Plaga monster thing! Curse you Ashley for being stupid!_

"Yeah, I think that'll be wise." I replied and felt a stab of guilt hit me. _I'm sorry for lying to you Leon, but this castle isn't the safest place in the world._ "But first I think we should raid the place and see the merchant."

Leon looked confused. "The merchant? He's on the other side of this bridge and I'm having a feeling that the villagers are camping out in front of the castle."

I grinned and pointed out behind him, at which he turned and saw the merchant's eerie but comforting blue torch. I have yet to figure out how the merchant can appear everywhere ahead of us whenever we need him the most. Caleb barked out in joy at the sight of robed figure, he knew that it meant a better chance of surviving.

The agent blinked at the merchant's shop and sighed. "I'm not going to even ask how he got here before us."

I grinned, "Great! He'll probably not answer your question anyway. Let's get to raiding'!"

Leon gave me a weird look, "You're enjoying looting their stuff aren't you?"

"Tch. Yeah! What better way to piss them off for putting us through all that than to jack their stuff, sell it, and buy stuff to take them down?"

"Touché, Rally."

We ran around the immediate area, slicing each box twice and grabbing what we could stuff into Leon's attache case. I blinked at it and noticed that it was still the same attache case he started off. Okay, we need to upgrade quickly because this place sucks up ammo as much as it gives 'em out. There will be no way Leon could handle himself if he ran out of ammo because he didn't have room to cram in every box he came across.

We entered the shed and the merchant greeted us normally. But before Leon and the merchant could do business, I stepped in and pointed at the agent's case. "Hold it right there, guys! Leon, before you buy anything else, you need to buy a bigger attache case!"

Leon blinked at me in confusion, "What?"

The merchant looked at the case and nodded in agreement. "Aye, the lass is right, stranger. That little case won't handle the job any longer."

Leon stared at us both. "Why would I need to get a bigger one? Whomever owns this place can help us lie low for a bit 'til the chopper arrives."

I crossed my arms over my chest, leaned on one leg and sighed sadly. "**Or** decide to kill us for whatever reason he may have." The agent still gave me a confused look. I sighed again and gave him a sad expression. "Leon, I'm sorry but I've been getting bad vibes from this place. Ask yourself this...What if Saddler's plagas infected the castle like it did the village? We're going to need to think ahead to survive beyond today."

"Aye, she's right on that, stranger. I've seen some the people here acting a little strange. It's best to think of the future and buy a bigger case." the merchant added quietly and the agent sighed in defeat.

"Hate to say it but you may be right. We can't take anymore chances in an unknown area." Leon muttered, blue gaze downcast and I mentally kicked myself at his expression. Oh, fucking great! I just made him feel like an idiot! He just now realized that he led me to a more hostile environment instead of a safe haven. I can see the headlines now! _"Leonardo Scott Kennedy, government agent, seeks therapy! A twenty year old girl seeks anger management for accidentally pointing out the agent's mistakes in his first mission!"_ Yeah, I just know the rest of the Leon fangirls are going to kick my ass if Leon snaps under pressure and is thrown in the loony bin.

He bought a bigger attache case and stuffed his items in it, smiling at all the free space still in it. He glanced at his watch and his eyes widen in surprise. "Whoa, it's midnight. You've been up for a bit too long." He looked up at me with a thoughtful look. "Hey, this place is secure and safe. Why don't you get some sleep?"

I bit back a yawn and scowled at him. "I'm **not** sleeping until you sleep first."

Leon sighed, "I'm fine."

"The hell you are!"

"What?!"

"You're exhausted!"

"Am not."

"Your stance is slouched, your running had slowed down, your eyes are dull and unfocused. Plus, your reflexes are slow!"

"You noticed those?"

My scowl worsened as I threw up my hands toward the dark sky, pissed at the agent. "Hell yeah! True, you're government agent who underwent training to do missions with little sleep but that shit isn't gonna work out here!"

Agent Kennedy crossed his arms over his chest and scowled back at me. "And why not? I can get us through this without sleep."

"We'll both die if you fall asleep during a fight!"

"No, I won't!"

"Yes you will!"

"Why are you telling me what to do!?"

"Why are you being such a stubborn dumbass!?"

"What did you call me?!"

"A dumbass! You're a stubborn, idiotic, half-wit, retarded arrogant dumbass, who thinks he's fucking invincible because he knows how to handle jobs without sleep!"

I could literally see the rage building within Leon as he glared at me with cold eyes. His body was shaking with such fury that I thought he was going to go berserk. I glared back at him, silently daring him to slap me or something and I was half hoping he would. Maybe the pain and shock will knock us both out of our rage. Our faces were so close to each other as we were glaring at each other, that I realized that his blue eyes were in fact an electric blue.

_BAM!_

"OW!" Leon and I both yelled out in pain as we pressed the palm of our hands to our foreheads. The merchant glowered at us both from the shadows of his hood as he dropped his arms and crossed them over his robed chest. "What was that for!?"

"For actin' like idiots. Lack of sleep irritates people easily." he snapped and jerked his head to the shed's back wall. "Now shut up, get inside, and sleep!" He focused his harden gaze at Leon. "As for yeh, stranger...that's no way to speak to the one yer supposed to save! She's only concerned for yer well being besides her own. She has the right to do so, she's can't survive this without yer help and ya'll fail yer mission if ya end up fallin' asleep during battle!"

The merchant turned to me with the same cold gaze, "And lass, yeh need to lay off on the stranger! He's doin' his best to protect ya but he can't do that if ya go chargin' off with some wild idea to help. He'll fold under the pressure ya give him if ya keep it up."

We blinked in surprise at his seriousness about this. Did he really care about us that much? He gave us both his best glare. "The way I see it, is that either the two of ya work together to get through this or you can fold under the pressure and surrender to the enemy." he growled, "So what it'll be, stranger and lass? If it's workin' together, apologize to each other and go to sleep. If it's not that then keep bitchin' at each other then die at the castle grounds. Pickin' the latter of the two then I'll be cutting off ties with yeh and see just how far ya'll can go while still mad at one another."

We stared at him, glanced at each other, scowled and turned our noses up. The merchant narrowed his pale blue eyes and growled angrily. We sighed and rolled our eyes. "Fine." we muttered together and glanced at each other again, "Sorry."

The merchant smiled a litttle, "Good choice. Now go to sleep, **I'll** keep watch. I've got more than enough weapons to take out anythin' that's tryin' to get to ya here."

Oh great, now I feel like a total moron for yelling at Leon again. And I know Leon feels the same way for yelling at me. We both gave each other the "can-you-forgive-me-for-being-an-idiot" look. We headed for the backwall and picked out spots for us to sleep. Leon sat against the backwall, facing the entrance and cradled the shotgun on his lap. Ooh, swordman style. I sat next to the table that held the typewriter and leaned against the wall. I stretched my legs out with a yawn and watched the merchant bring out a weapon to tinker on. Hey, that's the Chicago Typewriter! Oh, it's so shiny!

Leon murmured something to me but as I turned to ask what he said, he was already asleep. His chin resting on his chest, that rose and fell in rhythm with his soft breathing. I smiled at him as I watched him sleep. He's so cute when he's sleeping! It makes me want to reach out and give him a big hug! I sighed in remembrance to the fight we had earlier. I had no right to put pressure on him like that... hell, I didn't have the right to call him a dumbass. I rubbed my temples. I have to remember that he's a hero... and being a hero is **never** easy.

"Lass, yeh need to sort out yer feelings fast." the merchant said suddenly that I looked up at him in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"It's obvious that yer havin' trouble tryin' to decide what to do."

"How do you know that?"

"Yer heart is broken in two. Ya want his friendship but at the same time ya want his love but know ya can't have both." he muttered as he picked up two pieces of metal and inspected them carefully. I sighed as I glanced at the sleeping agent while bring up my knees. I rested my chin on them and blew out my breath.

"You're right. I want his friendship really badly because I don't have many friends at home and he's nice to hang out with. But.." I mumbled.

"But yer emotions are gettin' the best of yeh and makin' things hard for yeh." he finished for me and grinned, "Ahh, young love."

"Shut up." I muttered bitterly, blushing deeply.

The merchant chuckled softly, "Yer still a teenager at heart even though yer goin' into yer early twenties. Its a part of yeh that ya don't want to lose."

"Hormones suck." I griped softly as I leaned back against the stone wall, "Why do girls have it bad?"

"Don't know." the merchant replied, "Either way yeh need to choose. One or the other?"

My eyes began to close as my body commanded me to sleep in order to recharge itself. "One or the other...which is more important to me...?" I mumbled sleepily as my head dropped to my chest. Now I'm not sure if it was just me or something when I heard the merchant whisper something else to me.

"Have yeh considered that Leon maybe having the _same _problem as yeh?"

(A/N: No, I'm not turning this into romance. I'm just teasing you into thinking that I am but sorry, that's not happening. Okay, maybe I can have Leon _like_ me for being me but he's already got Ada on his mind. So yeah, tough luck. Ohh! Nightmare time!! YAY!)

-----------------------------------------------

_The streets of San Antonio. Buildings soared high above, reaching for the heavens, curving far and away into the distance. People walked down the sidewalks on their daily routine passed by, oblivious to their rituals. But something was wrong with them. I peered closer at them as they continued to pass me by like I wasn't there. Their eyes... They were burning red! What the hell?!_

_"Leon!" I called out, "Leon, where are you? Saddler got to San Antonio! Las Plagas have already hit the States!"_

_"Such a lovely sight, isn't it?"_

_I whirled around and stared in horror at the voice behind me. Saddler stood there and smiled, gazing out to the streets. "Los Illuminados, thank you, Rally. Without you, we could not spread our religion to the world."_

_The world?_

_"What do you mean?!" I hissed angrily, "I don't remember agreeing to be your fucking puppet!"_

_Saddler frowned slightly, "You don't remember? You were the one who brought the gift of our religion to America."_

_"Bullshit!" I snapped, "Where's Leon!? What the hell did you do to him?!"_

_"Ah, so you don't remember that either." _

_"Remember what?"_

_The priest moved aside and waved toward the back with his Plaga staff. I peered around him and shrieked in terror. There, crumpled on the floor...was Leon, his back to me. Oh god, he's bleeding all over the Riverwalk! I raced past the priest and reached the agent, turning him over carefully. My hand flew up my mouth and I burst into tears. Embedded in his chest was a dagger... a gold hilted dagger that bore the Los Illuminados insignia on it._

_Oh...my...god...!_

_"What the hell did you do!?" I screamed angrily, glaring up at the priest, who raised his hands up with a smirk._

_"I didn't kill him, if that is what you are thinking."_

_"Krauser..." I hissed._

_"No... not him either, though he was disappointed about it."_

_"Sa-Salazar?"_

_"No."_

_I looked down at Leon then back up at Saddler. This didn't make any sense. Who killed Leon? If it wasn't Saddler, Krauser, or Salazar then who? It couldn't be Mendez since the fucker was already dead..._

_"Your cultists?"_

_"Wrong again."_

_"Then-?" I stared down at the agent again before realization hit me. There was no way Leon would allow any crazed Spaniard near him with a dagger. The merchant? No, he doesn't leave his shops and he prefers guns over knives so that left..._

_"You." Saddler purred darkly, "You were the one who killed him."_

_"What...?!"_

_"I'm impressed really. Claiming that you loved him was enough for him to drop his guard. And while he hugged you... you drove the dagger into his chest." the priest replied, "He didn't see it coming from you. Good work."_

_"You're lying! I would never kill Leon for you!" I snapped at him, a sheen of tears in my eyes, "If I felt the plaga was trying to take me over, I would have killed myself! I would never allow that thing to harm Leon!"_

_Saddler grinned toothily, "That's the beauty of it... the plaga __**didn't**__ overtake your body. You did it out of your own free will."_

_"Wh-whah?"_

_"You were tired of running away from us, tired that Leon would not listen to you, tired of your American government. You were sick of it all enough for you to seek me out while you were separated from the agent. I gave you the dagger and __**you**__ killed him with it."_

_"No..." I shook the agent, "Leon! Leon, wake up and tell me that this is just a ruse to make him drop his guard! Come on please! This is a lie, right?!"_

_I shook the agent again until he opened his eyes a crack. Saddler raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, ho! He still lives!"_

_"Shut up, you religious maniac!" I barked out, "Leon! Thank god, you're not dead! Listen, Saddler's talking crazy and he's saying that-"_

_"You stabbed me..." the agent whispered._

_"Huh?"_

_"You...stabbed me." Leon muttered, "You said you loved me and then you stabbed me with the dagger."_

_"What?! No! No no no! I wouldn't do that! It's got to be a trick!"_

_"You betrayed me..."_

_"No!"_

_"You betrayed the States..."_

_"No no!"_

_"You betrayed the world..."_

_"No no no!"_

_The agent gave me a bitter smile, "And to think...I...liked...you..."_

_"What?"_

_"Now...I know...better...than...to...l-let...my...em-motions...get...the...best...o-of...m-me..."_

_"Damn it Leon, I didn't stab you!"_

_He glared at me weakly, ignoring my words, "I...__**ha...te**__...y...ou..." he hissed weakly before his head dropped back to the sidewalk. His chest fell once more and did not rise again. I stared at him, clutching the front of my shirt as his last broken word sank into me. He hated me... for something I didn't do... _

_Did I?_

_"Leon?!" I cried, "LEON?! Don't hate me, please! I didn't do it!! __**LEON!!!!**__" _

----------------------------

I snapped awake from my nightmare and looked around quickly. Still in the shed at the entrance of the castle...good. Did I wake Leon up from my nightmare? I blinked in confusion as I felt something was wrong here. I took a closer look and noticed that the my scenery had changed a bit. I shifted a little and noticed that my head was pressed against something firm, yet soft... and warm. I pulled back and nearly freaked out. I used to be near the table and now I'm sitting next to Leon and using him like a pillow! I blushed fiercely at the act but smiled a little. Okay, so I enjoyed it. Nothing wrong with that...

Aw geez! If the merchant was up, I just know he was going to take another picture for his "payment" and I scowled. If he was taking pictures then I'm going to want a copy of one. For something to remember this adventure from. I looked around the dark room again and noticed that the merchant had fallen asleep in a chair and snored like... something very loud. I stretched out my body, careful not to nudge or wake Leon. I heard the soft popping of my back and shoulders. Stone walls as beds... not good. Ending up sleeping on Leon...good thing!

The moment was ruined as the fragments of my nightmare came back and I shook my head to get rid of them. God, that was scary... I **never** want to dream that again. I rubbed my arms as chills ran through me while I looked at Leon. Leon would never hate me if I did something against my will. I know he would understand that it was the plaga's fault. Damn parasite... Oh, great. Now I can't go back to sleep!

I gazed out of the entrance of the shed and saw that the moonlight was spilling across the stone floor outside and that meant it was a clear night. I shifted a little and quietly brought myself to my feet. I rose up so that I was walking on my toes and snuck outside, making sure to move in time with the merchant's snoring so not to wake him up. I walked out into the moon's light and gazed up. The stars twinkled beautifully and the moon seemed to glow at the sight of clear skies. I smiled as a shooting star passed by and took a deep breath, making a silent wish.

"Who said we are lost again in this lonely world? I say we can start again. We're on the same ship, it's called starship earth... It is not too late, it's our home, so don't say that it's fine. We must not give up to build our future on our dreams." I sang softly, "We will never lie down and die but we'll find a way to survive. We all have somebody we love. We know that's why we're here!"

I twirled about four times, remembering the beat to the song. "We battle for freedom! It is a battle against the dark! I have my dreams, you know I'm not afraid of bleeding; "It is the time!" I sang as I danced around the moonlight, "We battle for tomorrow! It is a battle against time and we can do miracles! So take my hand, we need to save this world!

"It was a hard time. So many tears, it's all not for nothing. To give up is not a choice, it's a fight we have to win. I cannot live without faith even if I am faced with death. We all have somebody we love. We know that's why we're here!" I twirled around another four times, "We battle for freedom! It is a battle against the dark! I have my dreams, you know I'm not afraid of bleeding; "It is the time!" We battle for tomorrow! It is a battle against time and we can do miracles! So take my hand, we need to save this world!"

"It was a hard time. So many tears, it's all not for nothing. To give up is not a choice, it's a fight we have to win! I cannot live without faith even if I am faced with death. We all have somebody we love. We know that's why we're here!" I twirled around four times again and raised my arms to the clear, starry sky. "We battle for freedom! It is a battle against the dark! We all have dreams and each of them is to be realized; "It is the time!" We battle for tomorrow! It is a battle against time! Too many tears have been shed by the same fear. We need to save this world!

"We will never lie down and die but we'll find a way to survive. We all have somebody we love. We know that's why we're here!" I twirled around again, keeping my voice as soft as possible. "We battle for freedom! It is a battle against the dark! I have my dreams, you know I'm not afraid of bleeding; "It is the time!" We battle for tomorrow! It is a battle against time and we can do miracles! So take my hand, we need to save this world!"

(A/N: _Save This World_ performed by Kelli Sae. From Phanstasy Star Universe on the PS2! Yes, I do like to sing, if only to help me calm down or to pass the time.)

I twirled once more and bowed, then looked up at the moon and smiled. That felt good, now I think I can go back to sleep without fear of that creepy nightmare. There was the sound of clapping and I lowered my gaze and blushed furiously as Leon stood by, leaning against the door frame. He grinned at me as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, his blue gaze almost glowing from the moonlight reflecting off of them. I blushed again, that glow made him all the more attractive. _No, can't think that... but can't help it. Want his friendship but at the same time something more... Gah! This sucks! Curse you romance novels!_

I shook my head, "No. Um, did I wake you?"

He shook his head, his smile never leaving. "Nope... to tell the truth, I couldn't sleep as well."

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough. Why? You embarrassed?"

"Sort of. Normally, I prefer to be alone when I'm doing this."

"Oh, so I'm intruding?"

"Ah, well no. It's-" I sighed and looked up at the starry sky, "I get neverous easily and I usually sing to calm myself down. Mostly to snap myself out of "live" nightmare."

" "Live" nightmare?"

"You know, those times you see yourself doing something you wouldn't do in your right mind but can't seem to control yourself?"

"Ah, I'll keep that in mind. It'll prove useful."

"Maybe." I smiled at him, "You know, of all the songs I've heard my most favorite are _Savin' Me_ by Nickleback and _Holding Out For A Hero_ by Bonnie Tyler."

"Really? Why's that?" Leon asked as he tilted his head in interest.

I shrugged out of habit, "Don't know. I just like them the most." _Yeah, because they remind me of you, Leon. Hormones suck. They suck even more while listening to those two songs and reading romance books. Rule one when I get home. No reading romance books while listening to those two songs!_

" 'ey, are two done talkin'?" the merchant's voice asked from within the shed. We both turned to him and saw that he held two powerful handguns and givin' us an irritated glare, "It's only been three hours since yeh sat down. That ain't enough to get through here. At least get another two hours of sleep before the two of yeh go runnin' off."

Leon frowned and sighed, "All right, all right! We're going!" I snickered at the blush creeping up around the agent's face. Why he was blushing I would never know. Maybe from how I acted, it may have made him remember Ada. Oh, well. It's cute to see him blush. He headed back and I looked back up the night sky and grinned. I hope my wish comes true... now to get some sleep. Because in two hours, Leon and I are going to run around the castle with who knows how many cultists gunning after me.

_I still hate this place and I still hate you Salazar._

Next up...the run through the castle gates and dodging flaming boulders. Oh what fun... Okay, okay, Caleb, I hear you! Maybe when we run across Luis, I can convince him to stay with us... wait no... he has to get those pills in order for Leon to suppress the growth of the plaga...oh crap... what am I going to do?!

Luis... can I save you...or will the game prevent me from saving you from your horrible fate...?

--------------------------------

Whew! Another chappy done! Ooh, is this foreshadowing? (grin) Maybe... will the dream come to pass if I decide to tell Leon how I feel...? Makes you want to wonder doesn't it? If the dream scared you out of your wits then that means I'm doing a good job!

Okay, I know what you're thinking. This is getting too close to the romance deal even though I said I won't do that... I can't help it. Argh! I hate this! I'm confusing myself! Do I want to place romance in this...half of me yells "YES!" the other half says..."HELL NO! NO ROMANCE BETWEEN AUTHORESS AND CUTE GAME HERO GUY!"

I honestly don't know what I'm doing anymore. Maybe I can add a little romance to this... or just have a rewrite of this that does have the romance in a separate fic.

For those who are wondering when I'm supposed to post up the next chapter for The Resurrection of the Nightmare... suck it up and wait. I'm stuck on a writer's block for it... and that is preventing me from writing the chapter (yes, I haven't started that chapter yet) I've run into a bit of a snag. How am I going to have Wesker join them for his sake without him recognizing Leon or vice versa with Leon. That and I haven't figured out how to do the whole boss battle deal yet. This sucks...

Until the writer's block is lifted, I'm stuck writing for RE4: AFGDCT only. So...sorry. Nothing I can do about it.


	10. Castle Defense

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and _Hero_ is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry! Oh, and I'll be adding _Holding Out For A Hero_ by Bonnie Tyler once I figure out where to put this little song on. The reason why I placed all the songs you'v read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I sing (not very well to be honest) when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

Final Note: I would love to thank all my readers (fans! YES! I HAVE FANS!) for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic. Sabertooth and Wolf, thank you for being a loyal reader from day one! Misty Maxwell, same for you and your eagerness to read! Netbreaker0, thank you for being there, you're such a big help! The Autumn Alchemist, wow...you're really eager and hyper for my fic; love your reviews! To welcome a new author to the realm of and being so sweet, Daddys-Girl-13! You are so sweet and I'm flattered that you **love** my fic! And last but by no means the least, I thank the rest of my readers who I can't remember your pen names at this time! (I'm sorry, I can be scatter brained at times... with trying to get over my writer's block for my other fic and the chaos I call my life) I love you guys!

Everyone gets plushies of your favorite RE characters! Together now! RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!!!!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Nine: Castle Defense

I don't want to leave my good dream yet...I want to stay in it for a bit longer before getting up... In about five minutes we have to wake up and run through the horror of the castle..._Argh! My lungs are burning!!!_

I jerked awake from my dream, drew in a ragged breath and started coughing crazily. _Gah! Fucking plaga!!_ The coughing fit startled the two men and dog awake as I curled on the floor still coughing. The merchant jumped up from his chair with a yell of surprise and swept his high powered guns around the area, searching for enemies as Caleb leaped to his paws with a yelp and glanced around in confusion. Leon snapped awake with a shocked cry, snatching up his shotgun from his lap; eyes darting around for anything wrong before finding out that I was the one who woke them up. The agent was instantly at my side as I continued to cough, my body shaking from the fit and he started to panic.

"Rally! Rally, what's wrong?!" Leon cried in alarm as he placed a hand on my back. I couldn't answer him right away as pain racked through me. I wrapped one arm around my stomach, willing the pain to leave as my other hand covered my mouth out of habit. After several long minutes, the coughing fit subsided and left to me to lie on the stone floor, panting heavily from the lack of air. My lungs calmed and no longer burned.

That damn parasite better not be _that_ developed! I'm no where near that damn trap of Salazar's! But still... that was a scary thing to go through... I uncurled and lifted myself with my hands a little. Leon helped me up with worry in his blue gaze. "Rally, you were holding your stomach. What happened?"

I only managed a small bitter smile, "Plaga."

That one word was all the agent needed to know exactly what happened to me. "I see... The same thing happened to me while I was trying to find the Round Insignia." He smiled grimly, "I didn't have the coughing fit but I did cough up blood and the pain was so intense that it knocked me out completely for six hours." The grim smile disappeared and determination was set into his eyes. "I won't let that happen to you."

_Oh, Leon. That's so sweet. I want to believe you...I really want to but... no matter what you do... that's going to happen. As long as Saddler is still alive, the convulsions will continue until the plagas are strong enough to overcome us both._

"You ready to go?" the agent asked me as he reloaded his handgun. I watched him as I began to nod but stopped short as I remembered something.

"Wait! Do we have enough money to buy a Blacktail, riot gun and Semi-auto rifle?" I asked Leon, who stared at me in surprise. The merchant, who had calmed down and was watching scene, cleared his throat. He took what I said as a cue to get ready to start up business again.

Leon blinked and looked at his weapons. "The weapons we have are already upgraded as much as they can be. Not mention I won't have room for new weapons."

I bobbed my head to his response in understanding. "So, why not sell those and purchase the _better_ Blacktail, Riot-gun, and Semi-auto rifle?"

"But then I may not have enough to upgrade those." the agent returned seriously, still not sure if he should sell the weapons.

I grinned, "Sure you will." I held out my hand and several items sparkled in the moonlight. "Sell these to the merchant and you'll have more than enough to upgrade the new weapons to a degree."

Both the agent and merchant blinked at me in surprise. "Where did you get those!?" they both exclaimed in shock.

I grinned again. "Mendez. What? I swiped the armlet and gems from him while he was holding me hostage at the shed."

Leon stared at me. "But he didn't have an armlet while I was fighting him."

"True, he wasn't _wearing_ it but he had it stuffed into his back pocket, along with the gems." I smirked. "If he insisted on using me like a backpack then I might as well be one and _hold_ his stuff for him."

(A/N: Okay, I know Mendez had no such treasure on him (besides the money) when you play the game but I placed that there for the sake of the fic)

The agented grinned at me. "You're one sneaky girl, aren't you?"

I smiled back. "It's a gift. Besides, we're in a huge castle and we need to be prepared for just about anything. If my guess is right, there will be more enemies here than at the village."

Leon nodded in agreement. "True. I was thinking the same thing when you told me about your bad vibes from this place several hours ago."

The merchant scrunched up his face in delight, "Got some good things on sale, stranger."

--------------------------------

Several minutes later, we were walking away with our newly bought weapons. Ooh, lovely Riot-gun! Beautiful Semi-auto rifle and cool little Blacktail! They're so shiny! Just looking at them makes want to learn how to shoot for our protection. Leon glanced at me with a confused look as I kept looking at the guns.

"Why do you keep staring at the weapons like that?"

"Because they're so cool!"

"These are tools of death... how can they be cool?"

"True, they're made to kill... but they're the only things that can keep us alive. It all depends on how you look at them. Besides, death for the infected people here is a mercy they deserve. I know they don't want to harm us but the plagas..."

"Are forcing them to do it in the name of Saddler. The bastard..."

I nodded solemnly and the agent shifted uncomfortably and decided to change the subject. "So, what did the merchant wanted to talk to you about?" Leon asked as he looked between the Riot-gun and Blacktail, trying to decide what to use. I blinked in surprise for nearly forgetting the little chat the merchant had with me.

"Um..." I thought back to it.

(A/N: Okay now it's a flashback!)

_"Lass, I think ya should take this with yeh." the merchant said seriously, handing me the attache case that Leon sold to him. I took it and stared at it then looked at the merchant in confusion._

_"Why do I need this for? I have my side pack." I said, still confused as to why he was handing this to me._

_The merchant sighed, "That lil' side pack is already full of whatever items ya have, lass. If ya want to help the stranger out as much as ya want to then yeh need this to carry whatever item he can't carry himself."_

_I narrowed my eyes and gave him suspicious look from the corner of my eyes. "Merchant... are you hiding something from us? Do you know what's coming next?"_

_The robed figure frowned... at least I think he did. "Now, lass, why are ya suspectin' me of such a thing?" I smiled and fingered the case lightly. _

_"Well, you seem to pop up whenever we need of your help and you seem to know what's going perfectly well."_

_"Aye, yeh can say that."the merchant grinned back me. "But I can say te same thing about ya, lass. Ya know more to what the dangers are than what yer telling the stranger."_

_I stared at him in shock._

_"How else can ya explain to me on how ya found out about my secret weapon, the Chicago Typewriter? Ya know exactly what's going on but ya won't say a word to yer friend, only drop hints on what to do... Am I right?"_

_I didn't answer his question, "Thank you." I mumbled as I accepted the case and followed Leon up the stairs. So the merchant knew what was going on but didn't want to say... like me. _

(A/N: Okay, this was only my way of thinking on how he pops up everywhere. I think the Merchant knew what was going on and decided to help us get rid of Saddler. Remember this is just my guess, so don't go flaming me if its wrong. That an it sort of explains how Ashley has a case to carry stuff for her solo adventure.)

"Rally? Are you listening?" came a concerned voice that snapped me out of my little flashback. I blinked in confusion and looked up at Leon. He was looking at me in worry and I grinned slightly in embarrassment. "Are you okay? You spaced out a little..."

"Oh...um..yeah! I'm fine, I was just thinking. Sorry to worry you."

"No problem." The agent smiled as he pushed open the rusted door and stepped into the next area of the castle. Whoopie fucking doo... Our first cultist filled section of the freaking castle. How lucky we must be...

_"Muere, muere, muere, muere..."_

We all froze at the light whispering and listened closely. Caleb perked his ears up and growled slightly, angling his head toward the voices. The chants were coming from the other side of the corner. I knew the culstists were near by, patrolling the battlements but their chants were so low in tone that we nearly missed it. I thought back to the enemy positions in the game. There should...,and I'm using the word _should _loosely,...be two cultists by the balcony. But that could've changed, the real life game doesn't play by the same rules as the law-abbiding Resident Evil games do. And we've seen enough evidence of that, haven't we?

_"Morir es vivir! Morir es vivir..."_

" 'Die, die, die, die... To die is to live...' " I translated absentmindly out loud. I guess that scared Leon.

He looked at me in surprise. "What did you say?"

I flinched inwardly and looked at him. " 'To die is to live.' Thats what they're saying. It's their chant."

The agent frowned slightly and tilted his head toward the source of the whispers. "Well, isn't that encouraging?" he muttered bitterly, " 'Join Los Illuminados, a "religious" group that believes in dying is actually living life to the fullest! Call toll free 1-800- TODIEISTOLIVE! Our operators are standing by!' "

I blinked at his comment and stared at the agent for a full minute before cracking a grin. I had to try really hard to resist the urge to laugh hard. My, god... Leon is so fucking funny! And the way he spoke... oh god I wished I had a voice recorder so I could listen to that sarcastic and fake sugary tone for the rest of my life.

"Why are you snickering?" the agent asked me as he glanced at me once more. The dog was staring at me like I was nuts and then lost interest to our conversation. I cracked another grin and covered my mouth with my hand and giggled softly.

"I was laughing at what you said earlier." I answered back, my voice slightly muffled by my hand.

"I was being sarcastic..."

"I know. And that's what made it funny."

Leon raised a brow at my answer. Oh, that's so cute! But then he shrugged it off and sidled along the wall to peek around the corner. There sitting on a stack of crates was a box of rifle ammo. The agent eyed it then glanced at the parapet walkway and put the two together. He switched his Blacktail for the Semi-auto and commanded me to stay. I nodded in agreement as Caleb took a stance behind me and watched the back door incase of anything decided to come through it.

I watched Leon as he hugged the rifle to his body and crouched walked toward the crate. He readied the rifle and took aim to the walkway across the crate. I peeked around the corner and watched the cultists wander around aimlessly over there. One...two... yep just two like in the game... thank god! For a second a black hooded head came into view...

_BLAM!_

Now that head popped like a gory balloon and the agent aimed the rifle once more. Red eyes from the other cultist came into view and the strange whispers grew in volume. He recognized who we were...

_BLAM!_

Ooh! Not fast enough, cultist! The whispers died away and Leon looked over the crate and saw there wasn't anymore enemies to snipe and stood. He motioned me to follow and I trotted out of the corner with Caleb following. "I think I got all the guards for this part... but the minute you see any more, let me know."

"You got it!"

We walked up the winding staircase, making sure to pause and listen for anymore chanting before moving on. As soon as we came into view of the second floor...

_"Alli esta! Matalooo!"_

_Ahh...fucking red cult leader...he saw us._ The air around us instantly heated up as a group of cultists launched their flaming boulders into the night sky.

"Rally, get down!" Leon grabbed my arm and pulled me down the stairs just as one of the boulders slammed against the wall with a loud _CRACK!_ Flaming rubble flew everywhere and the stone floor quaked from the impact. The very force of the impact nearly knocked me over and down the rest of the steps but I managed to stay on my feet. The agent hissed angrily as soon as they stopped their barrage of boulders.

"Damn it, they're blocking our path. And they won't attack unless we show our faces." He switched for the Blacktail, then glanced at me. "Wait." I nodded in understanding as he vanished around the corner. More boulders were launched and I heard Leon curse as he raced across the area. I shifted nervously, fearing for his life. I always hated this part of the castle. One near hit from that and Ashley dies. A chill ran down my spine as another thought entered my mind as more boulders were launched in to the air. There was something else that I hated about this part and it had something to do with Ashley again...what was it?

_What did the player's guide say about this place and the ditzy blonde girl...?_

An eerie chuckle and Caleb's savage bark came from behind me, startling me from my thoughts. I whirled around and cried out in horror. A group of at least twelve zealots were standing behind me. Caleb already had one in his jaws and was blocking their path to me. The dog ripped the cultist's throat out and snarled at the others, daring them to move. And the zealots didn't bat an eye at the gruesome scene, only focusing on me. They grinned crazily as they rushed up and past Caleb to get to me. _Oh, shit! The player's guide mentioned to never leave Ashley alone anywhere around the battlements no matter how tempting it is to leave her worthless ass behind._ The dog barked angrily and tackled the nearest one, but the rest ignored him and came after me. And one of them was wielding a scythe!

Sorry, Leon! I raced from the saftey (if you can call it safe) of the stairs and onto the open area. More boulders were launched as soon as the catapult group saw me. I looked around wildly for Leon as the zealots followed me onto the stone path. I spotted him under the bridge and he looked at me in surprise. His blue eyes went wide at the sight of the cultists chasing me. He waved his arm toward me and fired sparingly into the group, careful not to hit me by accident. I ran toward him as more flaming rocks of death rained from the night sky. I barely heard Leon as he cried out in fright as one boulder slammed into the ground to my left and sent me flying to the side.

I flew to the side from the shockwave of the boulder's impact and rolled across the ground, dizzy. I lifted myself up a bit as the next wave of flying rocks were sent into the air and I knew the group troops were closing in on me. "Follow me!" Leon yelled as loud as he could as he fired wildly into the group of cultists. I looked toward him and my vision faltered, giving me double vision. Which Leon is the real one? Right or left? I stumbled to my feet as the flaming rocks rained around me. The scythe wielding zealot took a swing at me but I managed to step back from the swiping blade. This was bad, I can't see straight, so I can't fight back. I'm unbalanced so I can't run away either. This sucks!

Mr. Scythe swung again and I stumbled back, the air shrilling loudly from both the swinging scythe and flaming rocks. One boulder landed a little too near and sent us both flying to one side. I stared blankly up at the night sky as another wave of flaming boulders were launched and one came into my view... at least it was before my vision doubled again. Ohh, crap. Which boulder is the real one and which way should I roll? Right or left?! Mr. Scythe decided that for me and he swung his scythe downward in attempt to slice me in half. Okay, normally a lot of people would roll away from this guy to live, right? Well, I figured I could survive a cut better than being crushed by a two ton flaming boulder. I rolled into and _past_ his swing so that I was at his feet and snapped my leg upward, nailing the zealot in the gut. The cultist doubled over and I stummbled back up to my feet...ohh, bad move. My vision worsened at the quickness of my vertical motion and now I'm seeing four of everything...

The scythe wielding manaic suddenly swayed on his feet before crumpling to the floor with a moan. A pair of cold hands wrapped around my neck and waist as a zealot grabbed and hoisted me over his shoulder like a sack. I couldn't much else...I was too dizzy to see straight. I heard Leon shriek angrily, a loud gunshot and suddenly I was on the floor once more. The agent ran up to me and hoisted me over his shoulder and bailed as a boulder fell and crushed the cultist that grabbed me. Caleb bounded after us to the safety of the bridge as Leon set me down and looked me over as I swayed a little on the floor. At least my vision was better... a little. The images went from four to two.

"Are you okay?! Are you hurt?!" the agent asked me as I looked up at him, dizzliy. Oh, look! Twin Leons! YAY! Wait...Leon has a twin? Since when? Agent Kennedy pat the side of my face in an effort to get me to focus. "Rally, are you okay?"

I shook my head in order to help clear it and opened my eyes again in hopes of having my vision back to normal. Nope. The two Leons are still there... Not that I have a problem with twin cute guys... _Argh! Snap out it girl! This is no time to daydream! The cultists are coming and we don't have all night for me get my act together!_

"Are you okay, Rally?" the agent asked again and I nodded a little.

"Y-yeah... I'll be fine as soon as the world stops having two of you..."

The agent frowned a little. "This isn't good. They've got us pinned."

"W-why?"

"There's another section of battlements we have to get through but there are more catapults over there." _Ahh, that's right. I forgot about those guys..._

I pressed my hand to my forehead and sighed. "The red barrel...the same kind from Mendez's shed... I saw one next to the red guy. Fire at that and blow their asses out of the way." I mumbled dizzily and shook my head, my vision finally returning to normal. _I hate being dizzy. It messes with your mind and fucks up your movements. Now I see why Pok__é__mon smack themselves at times when they're confused..._

Leon backed up a little from the edge of the bridge's shadow, enough to see the red barrel. He aimed the Blacktail...

"This is for trying to kill Rally!" he snapped angrily and fired.

The red barrel exploded and sent cultists everywhere, the red one was knocked over the edge and broke his neck upon landing on the stone floor. Eww...but cool!

_"Muere...muere...muere...muere!"_ The agent growled at the sound of the chants. Oh, shit! I've got to show Leon the cannon or else he won't know how to open the gate!

"Leon, we need to get downstairs!" I yelped, tugging on his arm like a small child.

"Why?" he asked as I pulled him toward the set of stairs that led to the cannon. I sighed and thought up an excuse.

"Um, maybe there's a new weapon for you to use?" I tried as cultists rushed down the other set of stairs at led to the upper battlement area. "And it's good place to kill these guys off!"

We rushed down the stairs and positioned ourselves at the base of it. The cultists rushed after us and Leon let his frustration out on them with his new weapons. Damn this is so sweet! The Riot-gun blasted the heads off of six cultists! COOL! The agent handed me his knife as kept the cultists at bay and said for me to search for anything useful. I supressed the urge to shriek in joy. I'm holding his knife! _I'M HOLDING LEON'S COMBAT KNIFE!! SWEET!_

I rushed off toward the little room and stared at the cannon. Ooh, I'd love to stuff Salazar into it and fire his sorry ass at the gate. I broke open the wooden barrels and snatched up the shotgun ammo and green herb. After a bit, the whispers died away and Leon came into the room, looking for me. I jerked my thumb at the cannon as the agent stared at it in surprise.

"Hey, Leon, do you think we can use this for something?" I asked while handing him the stuff I found.

Leon studied it and nodded. "Yeah, from the way it's positioned... it's aiming at the castle gate. We can use this to blast it open. We just need to find a way to raise this thing up."

I smiled and thought about it, trying to keep up the charade. "Do you think that maybe the switch is up top?"

"I don't see one down here, so it has to be there. The question is, how do we raise this up without being blasted back with catapults?"

"We snipe out the ones manning the catapults! If they're dumb enough, there should be more red barrels near them... I mean something's got to be holding their gas to set those boulders on fire."

"True. Let's go!"

We headed out of the room and up the stairs and up another set of stairs...keeping as low as possible so Leon could pinpoint where the red barrels are. Caleb wagged his tail in eagerness to get out of the battlement area, but kept his focus by watching our backs. I love this dog! Hmm.. maybe Leon should keep him as a pet. I've already got too many dogs... if you count six little Chihuahuas running around a ranch as too many. They're easy to manage... they eat a lot... but still easy to manage... _Why am I leaving? I'm susposed to be next to Leon but he's at the top of the stairs and I'm going down them... HOLY CRAP!!!_

_"LEON!"_ I shrieked in terror. One of the cultists managed to knock out Caleb and kidnap me with out either of us knowing! What the hell is up with that?! I instinctively twisted around and slammed my knee into the zealot's face... _OW!!_ Pain shot up my knee from the point of contact. I ripped the hood off and saw why I got hurt. The jerk was wearing a helmet! Asshole!

Leon whirled around, saw what was going on and the helmet. He fired at the zealot's legs, forcing him to drop me as he stumbled and fell to his knees. I stood up and was about to kick the guy when the agent raced past me and did the coolest move in the game!

The Suplex!

I relished the sight. I just _love_ Leon's cute little battlecry, the zealot's surprised rasp, the arch of Leon's sexy back and the _snap!_ of the freak's neck. Helmet _plus_ stone floor _equals_ a sure death of a broken neck! I grabbed the pesetas and squealed at the move, pumping my right arm into the air.

"All right, Leon! That was so cool! Su-plex!" I grinned at him and he smirked back before chuckling a little.

"Thanks. It took a while for me to learn that move."

"It's all worth it!" More chants drifted into the air. _Damn you cultists...! Wait...YAY! More chances to see Leon do the suplex! Bless you cultists!_ "Are you going to do it again?" I asked hopefully.

Leon listened carefully at the chants as he reloaded the Blacktail. "Nope. Too many of them to take down with just the suplex. We need to keep moving." Inwardly, I scowled in disappointment. I wanted to see Leon do the suplex again... _CURSE YOU CULTISTS!!_ But I nodded in agreement and followed Leon and Caleb up the stairs again to the upper battlements. Time to take out the castle gate!

We readied ourselves for the run as zealots from the lower floor rushed at us from the bottom of the steps. "Leon, the crazy monks are coming!"

The agent smiled a little. "Great. I was hoping they would."

I gave him a puzzled look. "You were?"

"Yup. We'll be wiped out without us having to waste ammo on them. Ready?" I nodded and so did Caleb. "GO!"

We shot away from the stairs. Another raspy cry sounded and the launch of flaming boulders soon came after. We raced across the area as the zealots followed and the boulders rained down from above. Several of the cultists fell under the crushing weight of the rocks but the others were smart enough to dodge and weave the falling boulders. We headed for the little shed and raced in, stopping in time to dodge a scythe that swung at us. Leon cursed and fired on the zealot. The scythe wielding cultist used the flat side of the blade to protect his chest as he advanced on us. The agent growled angrily.

"Fine, be that way!" Agent Kennedy fired at the hooded figure's legs, forcing him on his knees. He ran up to him and did the suplex, breaking the neck of cultist. Damn, I love that move!! I sighed wistfully then remembered that the others were outside on their way here. Apparently, Leon remembered too, gave his knife to me and faced the door with his Blacktail drawn.

"Grab what's in here that's of any use; I'll protect you, okay? Remember, slash twice." I chirped out an A-OK and rushed to the boxes as the cultists rushed the shed. I slashed a box as Leon poured out the bullets and I grabbed a new grenade. Sweet! More ammo! I placed it on my belt loop and swiped another box with the blade. This one held some pesetas and grinned. Ohh, someone's secret stash! And it's ours! I dumped the gold coins in my attache case. I'll hand them over once everything is done here.

I slashed another box as cultists howled in pain from Leon's Riot-gun shots. It held nothing. Tightwads. I popped open a chest and grabbed the yellow herb nestled inside and stuck that in my attache case. I kicked open the wooden barrel as another group of cultists rushed at Leon. I heard him swear that he needed time to reload. I grabbed the grenade from the pieces of wood, pulled the pin, chucked it over the agent's the head, wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him back. The cultists went _boom!_ as they shrieked in pain and flew everywhere. Then silence followed.

Leon stared at the mess of bodies and grinned at me. "Thanks. Are you going to do that again?"

I grinned back and bopped his hip with mine and winked. "Anytime your ass needs saving, I will." He snickered, I giggled and Caleb barked his thanks and wagged his tail. Yeah...it's all good...

_CRACK!_

_Oh, yeah... we need to to get rid of those catapults before we can blow open the castle gate._ I pointed out the red barrels and Leon sniped them, watching the zealots fly around like dolls until all were gone... except for one. The one that had no visible red barrel and to stop the catapult, Leon had to shoot the guy manning it. We raced toward the little room where the cannon was located at the bottom of the little tower. The zealot launched his boulder and it slammed against the room's roof as we reached inside. I pressed my back to the wall and sighed.

_CRACK!_

"Leon, you have to shoot the guy before the roof caves in! I don't think this roof is sturdy enough to withstand his boulders for long." I hinted as Leon tried to aim the rifle through the window. But every time he managed to lock on, the cultist will launch the boulder and the agent had to duck and cover, messing up his aim. I thought for a second and gulped.

_Sorry, Leon... Looks like I have to piss you off again..._

"Sorry, Leon! Yell at me later but I need to do this to give you a clear shot!" I called out and he looked at me in surprise.

"What are you-?" His eyes widen in horror as I ran out from the little room, "RALLY, NO!"

_"HEY YOU! THE FREAK WITH THE HOOD! YOU COULDN'T HIT A GIRL WITH A GUN EVEN YOU WERE USING A SNIPER'S SCOPE!"_ I yelled out, trying to get the cultist's attention. (A/N: Sorry, for the lousy line it's the best I could come up with at 3 am.)

And it worked...ah..sorta. The cultist was more interested in killing someone than getting revenge for the insult and aimed the catapult at me. I stuck my tongue out and blew a raspberry. The monk launched the boulder at my position. I laughed at his attempt as I turned and ran from the marked spot, away from Leon's position.

I didn't get very far.

As I was running away, I tripped over a cultist's scythe and the blade bit into my leg, leaving behind a gash. It wasn't big but it still hurt. I looked up and saw that the flight path of the boulder was right on target... but how? I slapped my forehead, got to my feet and hobbled as quickly as I could from the blast zone. That damn cultist had fired it over here, knowing I was trying to distract him and I ran right into the trap!

_BLAM!_

Well, that jerk is dead now...

_"RALLY! LOOK OUT!"_ Leon screamed out and I looked up...

_Oh...shit..._

_**CRACK!**_

The boulder landed in front of me and if I had gone another ten steps I would have been crushed. The shockwave of the blast picked me up and threw me back at least twenty feet. I bounced, rolled and skidded across the stone floor and came to a rest by the little shed we had taken refuge in. _Another reason why I hated this place. Ashley would have died from just being hit by the shockwave! But I'm not Ashley. It'll take more...than...that...to...kill...me...off... Wh...why...i...is...so..so...hard...t-to...brea...the?_

Leon and Caleb ran to my side and looked at me in horror. I guess I looked pretty messed up. Leon fell to his knees and stared at me then looked into my eyes. Oh, my lungs...they're burning... The agent spoke to me but I couldn't understand what he was saying and I think he asked me a question. But when I opened my mouth to answer him, I only managed to let out a pitiful, liquid moan. My hero looked at me in confusion then at my mouth. He reached over and wiped at it. He brought his hand back to his face and his blue eyes went wide. He yelled at me in shock...I think... and he reached down to picked me up.

My ears finally stopped ringing (that was why I couldn't hear anything) and Leon asked me if I was alright. I only managed a nod and the agent looked at me in surprise. He stared at me closely before he freaked out. I didn't know why though. _My lungs are burning... why...?_ The agent set me down and looked me dead in the eye.

"Rally, are you sure you're alright?"

I nodded again. I wasn't going to tell him that my body felt broken and I felt like burning up from the inside out. That would only freak him out even more. The agent glared at me.

"That's not the answer I'm looking for."

_Okay...what's his problem? Okay, so I ran off on him and nearly got smashed into the ground by a rock. But I did it to save our butts and get Leon his clear shot._

"I'm going to ask you again and you better not nod. I want a verbal answer from you." he growled as he narrowed his eyes at me. "Are you okay?"

I was about to nod but Leon's glare stopped me. I opened mouth to answer but an odd raspy whimper escaped my mouth. "Rally? Can you answer me?"

_My lungs...they're burning! Why are they burning?!_

"Rally? Rally! Rally, give me sign here!" The agent's voice rose to a panic level as he picked me up again and broke out into a sprint, "Oh, my god... you're turning blue! Rally!"

_Lungs...burning...hard to think... too tired to think..._

"Rally, snap out it! Stay awake!"

_Too...ti...red..._

He barged into the area and I heard him shriek out to the merchant. "Goddamnit, Rally, stay awake! Are you breathing?!"

_S-so...t...t..ti..red...and...m-my...lungs...I...c...c...an't...bre...athe...! _ I shook my head weakly and saw little black dots at the edge of my vision.

Leon swore and set me down on the cold stone floor. He leaned over me, pinched my nose, took a deep breath and...

My world went black...

--------------------------------------------

I awoke with a start and looked around wildly, catching both the merchant and the agent glaring at me. Oooh, I'm gonna get it now. Leon let out a breath of relief but gave me an exasperated look, the merchant on the other hand...well, he looked pretty pissed. He only scowled at me, handed the agent some First Aid Sprays and stalked back to his "shop". I blinked in confusion and looked to the agent for an answer and he shook his head, indicating that he didn't know. Even Caleb shrugged, though hard to do since he's a dog.

I stood, thanked my hero quietly and went after the merchant. When I entered his shop, the robed figure whirled around and glared at me. I jumped a little as he wagged his finger at me. "Lass, that better be the last time ya have the stranger drag yer half dead ass to me for healin'!" he hissed angrily.

"But-"

"No buts!" he growled, "Yer feelings for him are out of control! Ya need to have better control over them!"

"What are you talking about?" I hissed back lowly, so Leon couldn't hear us. "I've chosen to keep him as my friend, nothing more."

"_That_ is a lie, lass."

"_What?_"

"Ya only think ya have chosen already but in reality yeh haven't yet. Yer still split in two and yer tearing yerself apart trying to fight one feeling and hold on to another. And _that_, lass, is going to kill the both of ya."

"I don't understand a word you're saying."

"The only things yeh need to know is to control yer emotions and to stop tryin' to keep him from doing his mission." He leaned toward my face and spoke very softly so that only I could hear him. "Believe me, lass. I have a feeling that there will be a time where yer going to be by yerself with no help from either me or the stranger and that's when yeh really need to keep yer feelings in check. A slip up on yer end and its over for both of ya. Yeh'll die and the stranger will wander the castle for the rest of his days looking for ya, only to know that ya screwed up and died. _Think before ya act._ Only help him out when yeh can and its roughly somewhere within the logical thinkin' area."

I gulped at his words and stepped back. What scared me the most was the fact that he made sense and what he said was true. I blushed at the thought that I was still confused on what I felt toward Leon. _Oh, god, how I hated hormones! Argh! It was true! I'm still confused and that's going to kill us all! And that dream... I still remember it and ooh! how it creeps me out!_

Leon came in and that snapped me out of my thoughts. "What's going on here?" he asked quizzcally, looking at us both. I looked away for second and forced a smile at him.

"Nothing. I was just apologizing to the merchant for freaking him out earlier. Oh, and sorry Leon for running off on you." I answered hurriedly.

"Uh, that's okay, just don't do that again." he muttered as I kept up my forced smile. He raised a brow at me then looked toward the merchant, who met his gaze coolly.

"Aye, its just as she says, stranger. Nothing more. It's best ya go now before 'em crazed spaniards come back and yeh have to start all over on taking 'em out."

The agent didn't looked convinced about our answers but let the subject drop in favor for thinking about the castle gate. "True, we need to get going before they get back with reinforcements."

I nodded in agreement, "Yeah, let's go fire that cannon and "knock" on the castle gate."

Leon smiled a little, probably relieved to see the old me back. "Alright, let's go!"

-----------------------------------

I watched Leon blast open the large wooden gate with the cannon and grinned a little. I wonder how much its going to cost Salazar to fix that? We headed inside and "amazingly" found the merchant. We bartered with him for a bit and I walked away with a First-Aid Spray hooked onto another belt loop. Leon carried more Pesetas and less Velvet Blues in his possession but it was all good, Velvet Blues don't do jack but sit there and look pretty. Like Ashley.

We walked into the main body of the castle, where directly in front of us, hung the glimmering Platinum Sword. I grabbed it at Leon's request, and followed him upstairs. He eliminated the waiting zealots by riddling them with bullets and breaking necks with suplexes while Caleb helped him out. I waited by the stairs, sword in hand and thought of a song to sing. One cultist stalked a little too closely to me. EW! It was missing most of it's face! It was too close for me to use a grenade but then even if it wasn't it'll be a waste of a limited weapon. In a moment of panic, I stabbed the monk in the gut with the blade. The cultist stared at me in shock at my sudden action before it moaned pitifully and died, falling back and taking the blade with it.

I scrunched up my face at the sight and stepped forward to reclaim the sword when I slipped on the pool of blood. I waved my arms in effort to keep myself balanced but failed when I tipped over and landed on the cultist's side, face slamming against it's chest. Ewww! I stood up quickly, brushed myself off and yanked the blade out, hoping Leon didn't see what happened. A soft chuckle from behind me indicated that he did. I turned and saw that Leon was leaning against the pillar and had an amused expression on his face, even Caleb was supressing a snicker.

Now that I think about it, the agent's stance and expression, I'd bet he'll look twice as sexy doing that if he was wearing the gangster outfit. _Ahh...no! Keep feelings in check! _My cheeks burned in embarrassment as his grin grew wider.

"Not a word out of you." I growled, wagging the sword threateningly at him as he turned his face slightly a with a smirk. "Keep walking, Agent Kennedy, just keep walking." He couldn't hold back his mirth any longer and bursted out laughing, causing me to blush even more. "Don't make me poke you with this." He waved his mirth away and moved into the upper area, where I looted the room while he stared at the Golden Sword.

"This is stupid." he muttered, eyeing the gold blade and tilting his head to one side. I looked up from his attache case as I tried to cram some pesetas into the his money pouch.

"What is?" I asked as I finally succeeded in stuffing the gold coins into the pouch.

"This whole switching and matching swords thing. It's stupid."

"Okay, so it's stupid. What of it?"

He took the Golden Sword and studied it. "What the hell kind of security system is this?"

"A weak dark ages one." I looked around the room and noticed the many melee weapons lying around. "Hey, can I use one of these as a backup weapon?"

Leon sighed, "Maybe. Anyway, why don't I go down and stick this in the gold slot and you can put that silver one into it's slot? Two for one."

"Okay. And by the way, it's platinum."

"Whatever, I still think this whole thing is stupid." he muttered as he disappeared downstairs to the gold slot. I grinned and strolled over to my slot. I thought I've never live to see the day that Leon starts thinking things are stupid. It was funny and that made this whole adventure all the more enjoyable. The agent is so much fun to be stranded with in enemy territory.

I popped the sword into the mount and watched with a grin as the mount slid aside and revealed the red metal door out of here. Leon was still downstairs, probably collecting items we overlooked. I blushed as I remembered what the merchant said.

(A/N: Another song! The first verse actually. I think it fits nicely. It sorta reflects on what's happening within Rally. _Can't Help Falling In Love With You _by A-Teens.)

"Oooooo...Doot doo doo doo...I just can't help falling in love with you..." I sang softly to myself. "Wise men say, 'Only fools rush in', but I can't help falling in love with you. Shall I stay? Would it be a sin if I can't help falling in love with you?" Suddenly, the back of my throat went dry and my lungs flared in pain. A cough forced its way from my burning lungs, followed by several powerful ones. I bent over, wrapping my arms around my abdomen and tried to will the pain away.

_Damn it...the plaga is growing really fast... wait... I'm having the pain now but why did Leon feel the effects first if he was injected with the parasite last?_ I'll figure that out later. When the coughing fit subsided, I quickly donned a smile as the agent returned with a box of handgun ammo in one hand. He lifted his brows in surprise at the revealed door as he stuffed a few clips into one the many packs around his waist.

"I guess that's our way out. Let's go." He checked the clip in the Blacktail, decided that it was enough and pushed open the door with a loud _creak!_ I flinched at the rememberance of what that did in the village. The agent held his gun at the ready as we walked out toward the large, open area.

"Leon!" We whirled around and saw Luis sauntering in from behind us. Okay, now that's just weird. We just came from there and the door creaked on us but it didn't make a sound when he stepped through. Creepy.

Leon grinned and lowered his gun in relief. "Luis." I kept up my smile but I was actually worried. This may be the last time we'll see Luis alive.

The spaniard grinned at us, "I've got something for you guys." He fished through his pockets to bring out whatever it was he had, even though I knew exactly what it was. I silently prayed that he had them so to avoid his death._ Please have them! Oh, god, __**please**__ let him have them._ "Uh...what?"

My heart sank. _Oh, no..._

Luis patted his pockets and checked himself over before letting out soft curse. "Oh, shit! I've dropped it when I was running away from them." He narrowed his brown eyes and looked over his shoulder to the door behind him. _Got to keep the "scene" going..._

"Dropped what?" I asked, hiding the fact that I was depressed at what was going on.

Luis shifted to one leg and looked at us dead in the eye. "It's a drug to stop the convulsions." Leon blinked in confusion and the spaniard sighed, closing his eyes for a brief second. "Look, I know you two are carriers. You've been coughing up blood, right?"

The agent blinked, darkened his gaze and looked away. "...Yeah..."

Luis looked toward me with a grave expression, waiting for my reply and lowered his voice. "And you?"

I haven't yet but Ashley in the game just nodded her answer. I lowered my gaze and nodded.

Sera swore, "Damn it! The eggs have hatched." he hissed and turned away, "We don't have much time."

Leon stepped forward with a slightly angry look in his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Luis evaded his question by walking to the door, "I have to go back and get it."

_Not without protection at least, Luis._

"Let me come with you." I muttered out but Luis shook his head, refusing my help.

"No, you stay here with Leon. He can keep you a lot safer than I could. Besides," The spaniard gave Leon a grin, "he's better with the ladies." I like that line but I wasn't going to let him go without someone to watch his back.

"Luis... At least take Caleb." I said as I motioned the white dog forward. Sera looked over his shoulder and gave me a quizzcal look.

"Why would I need the dog?"

"Because he's been a big help to us so far and I'm sure he can help you." I smiled, "He's saved our lives more than once."

Luis sighed, "Fine. I'll take him if you're that worried about me." Caleb walked forward and joined him by his side. _Luis needs an extra pair of eyes and ears... Not to mention, where we are going a dog surely won't survive. Maybe with Caleb's help, Luis can avoid his death... maybe..._

"Good."

"Luis, why are you are-?" Leon began to question but paused as Sera raised his hand and began to walk away with Caleb following.

"It makes me feel better..." he answered evasively, his voice dark and tone sad, "Let's just leave it at that." The two of them disappeared back the way we came. I sighed sadly as I followed Leon to a side door to look for the key to open the main door. Why are things so hard to take and change? Why is it things that I don't like never change but things I do...do? Survival horror...that's the name of the game here. It can't be a horror game without the deaths of those you like... but it was no longer a game. These guys _are _alive, not just some CGI character straight from the game itself. And playing with people's lives like this..for real...sucks. For the first time ever, I ..._**hated**_ the game for being this way... but like it or lump it...its the way things are. I just hope I can pull off a miracle and save Luis' life...

_Alright, Saddle, if anything happens to Luis, Leon __**won't **__be the only one hunting your ass down! Salazar... we'll be meeting you soon... asshole..._

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Whew! Another chappy done! To be honest...I really didn't like what I typed out at the battlements...It just doesn't sound right and it looks like I'm doing all this on purpose to throw myself at Leon, which is what I'm trying to avoid but I won't change it. Anyway, we're about to meet Salazar and I'm gonna make things as interesting as possible; Even change a few things around...like the solo adventure. The solo one ..the level itself will be changed to make it longer and more exciting. I hope you enjoy it when it comes up.

Happy Thanksgiving, my loyal readers!

Chat with ya later!

Pikpixie03

PS

I'm still looking for translators for my Los Illuminados chant. If you can or know someone in that can translate then please tell me or email them about my dilema. I would greatly appreicate it and will worship the ground you walk on or something...Anyway, I'll thank you to no end! E-mail's at my bio if ya need it.

Thank you!


	11. Salazar and the Garrador Fight!

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and _Hero_ is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry! Oh, and I'll be adding _Holding Out For A Hero_ by Bonnie Tyler once I figure out where to put this little song on. The reason why I placed all the songs you'v read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I usually think of songs and sing them in my head when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

Final Note: Over 30 reviews! Hell yeah! I would love to thank all my readers for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) _"I knew you'd be fine if you landed on your butt."_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!!!!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Ten: Ramon Salazar and the Garrador Fight!

We stood in front of the inner castle gate with the Castle Gate Key in hand. And it was a bitch to get. Goddamn shield wielding zealots! It was hard for Leon to protect me from the grabby cultists while trying to fend off the shield holders. One of them had the nerve to smack Leon with a mace! A MACE! _NO ONE BITCH SLAPS LEON WITH A MACE AND GETS AWAY WITH IT ALIVE!!_ So I helped him by tossing out an Incendiary grenade and watched them burn to a crisp. Then I tended to a wounded agent by having him drink a special medicine that I made up. I soaked some of the leaves of the plants in water, heated it up and made... Green/Red/Yellow Herb Tea! It works just like the powdered version only it handles internal injuries. And that's what Leon got from that hit, a few cracked ribs and a punctured lung.

I blushed at the memory of how I took care of him on my own. Because he had a punctured lung, Leon couldn't breathe right and I had to force his lungs to spew out the blood. And I had to force air into...his...lungs...well, at least enough for him to drink the tea and heal his insides. I shook my head furiously as the agent unlocked the door to the castle. _Don't think about it... I'm not Ashley! Don't think about it... I'm not Ashley! Not a kiss! Not a kiss! GAH! IT'S NOT WORKING!!!_

"Come on, Rally. Let's see where this leads to." Leon called toward me, breaking my thoughts. Thank you, Leon! The agent pushed open the door and we entered a large, beautifully decorated foyer. Nice. Someone paid a pretty peseta to get this done. Too bad this all going to waste. We took a few steps forward when a hysterical giggle filled the air. _Oh, great...him._

_"Mmm-hee-hee-hee-hee-ha..!"_

Leon paused, looked around the room carefully, then walk on. I followed him closer toward the torch lit balcony.

_"Hee-hee-ha-ha-ha-ha!"_

Oh, god...he sounded like a broken squeaky toy. Can't you get a different laugh?! We walked on after the agent scanned the area once more and scowled. I don't blame you, Leon. I hate this laugh too. It sounded cuter in the game.

_"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Eee-hee-hee-hee-ha-ha-haaa!"_

Argh! Stop laughing! It's horrible! Now it sounds like a strangled turkey that puked all over itself and died by a bullet to the throat!

A small man decked out in medieval attire stepped out from the shadows of the balcony above us, and was about a foot and a half taller than the railing. Wow, that's short. On either side of him were two tall, powerful looking guards in red and black cloaks; they studied us with red eyes that shone brightly from the shadow depths of their hoods. We couldn't see their faces... not that we wanted to anyway... but we could see Salazar's. And man, he needs to step out of this place and bathe in the light of what we, normal humans, call 'the sun'. Whoever did his CGI design in the game must've had some pretty good skills to cover up all that ugliness. Ugh. My eyes! I'm BLIND!!

Salazar smiled at us as he focused his yellowish eyes on Leon. Okay, that smile and the way he's staring at the agent makes me wonder.. is he interested in Leon? EW! I sure as hell hope he's not. Ugh, great. Nightmares. I'm going to have nightmares about this thought for a long, long time.

"I was starting to wonder when you might notice us." the midget purred polietly. Yeah, he's gay.

"I'm wondering how anyone _cannot_ notice you whenever you laugh like a dying hyena." I muttered mostly to myself. I guess he heard me because he shot me a glare as soon as I was done making the remark. I glanced at the agent and saw that he kept a straight face as he watched the three of them for any sudden movements. Wait... I narrowed my eyes a little and smiled inwardly. The corners of the agent's lips had curved slightly upward when I made my comment. Sweet! I made Leon smile!

Leon narrowed his blue eyes at the little spanish midget. "Who are you?"

The little midget gestured elegantly as he answered polietly. "Me llamo Ramon Salazar, the eighth Castellan of this magnificent architecture. I have been honored with the protigius power from the great Lord Saddler. I've been expecting you my brethrens."

Leon scoffed at the answer, "No thanks, bro."

I rolled my eyes at Salazar, "Sorry, but the "bro" position has already been filled by _my_ little brother. Too bad."

Salazar shook his head as he paced above us on the balcony while his bodyguards continued to watch us. "My, my. We've got some fiesty ones." He turned his gaze to me. "If you care for your own well being, I suggest that you surrender yourself and simply... become our hostage."

"Oh, go fuck yourself, you sick ass bastard!" I snapped, giving the little castellan the finger. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Leon look surprised then grinned slightly at my answer to the midget's offer. I made him smile again! Salazar narrowed his eyes at me in annoyance before turning to Leon.

"Or Mr.Scott, you can give us the girl since you're not worth a penny I'm afraid." the little man sneered, "You can die."

Leon shrugged it off, "I feel so disappointed in hearing that from you."

Salazar sniffed in disdain and turned to leave. I watched him walk away but couldn't help myself. "Hey! Short, fat and stupid!" The midget paused. "I thought you use pesetas in this country, not pennies!" I saw him go rigid for a few seconds before relaxing and walking off.

I grinned and looked at Leon. "Hey, you think I pissed him off?"

The agent chuckled, "My guess would be a 'hell yes' but then I'm not too sure. He's a weirdo with an interesting taste in clothes. But hey, it's Spain." I smiled at his comment.

We walked forward a few steps before the floor quaked beneath us and a wall shot up from the marble floor, cutting us off from the door ahead that led deeper into the castle. Great. A beautiful blue mural adored the wall and we noticed the Chimera's picture was missing. Double great. One of the longest sidequests in the game has started and I have no idea what the game had in store for us in the castle. I **hate** collecting those pieces! It's a pain in the ass to deal with!

Leon scowled at the wall, "Well, that sucks." He turned right and headed for the door there, "Let's head this way and see where it leads to." I followed him as he kicked open the door and entered the corridor. Let's see... Narrow hall, prison to the left and a lone lamp hanging from the ceiling... Ugh, this part. I really hate this part because it scares me every time I go through it. Leon noticed the prison and headed over there. He gazed through the open window as I walked around the immedate area, collecting ammo for him.

"There's someone in there." the agent murmured as he switched to the Semi-auto rifle and zoomed in on the cell. A Garrador was bound to the wall of the cell with thick chains. At least, that's what I think he's seeing. "He's covered in chains...and wearing some really weird armor. Probably Salazar's knight or something."

"Then he's not the friendly-type." I said out loud, slapping Saddler's portrait aside. Secret stash! I reached in and gathered up the gold bars, then dropped them into Leon's attache case. Score! We're five thousand pesetas richer! A few more bars and we could upgrade the weapons pretty well!

"Wait...I see a switch next him. I wonder what that's for?" Leon said as I walked up to him with a box handgun clips. He turned to me, ejected his current clip, reached into the box for a fresh one and popped it into the Blacktail. I mentally hissed at the thought of the switch as I stored the other clips away in his utilty belt. _Ah, the infamous "place-a-'must hit'-switch-next-to-a-tough-opponent" trick. How original. Oh, no! You got us, Salazar! Whatever shall we do? Oh, that's right...we __**hit**__ the stupid thing!_ I glanced at Leon as he did a thorough check of his weapons before turning my glare at the prison door. _But to hit that switch, Leon __**has**__ to go toe to toe with the Garrador or else we can't go on. This sucks big time. I don't want Leon to go in there, get the crap beaten out of him so he could hit a lousy a switch! How can I help him with this little problem? I could follow him in there and distract the Garrador...no, I can't do that. Leon isn't going to have me follow him in there. So there goes that plan..._

"Are you thinking about how you are going to help me with that guy?" Leon asked suddenly, scaring me out of my thoughts. Geez! How did he know!?

I blinked in surprise and turned to him, "How did you know?"

The agent grinned slightly, "I saw how you were looking at me and glaring at the prison door. It doesn't take a genius to know that you seriously don't want me to go in there without some kind of help from you. Am I right?"

I blinked, lowered my eyes and nodded in embarrassment. Well, I just know that he's figuring out about how I feel. Damn you Japan and making sexy character heroes! Why do you torture us, fangirls, so?! It's not fair! He suddenly ruffled my hair and smiled, causing me to look up.

"Well, don't worry about it. The door to the prison is locked, so I can't go in. Besides, the switch may not do anything."

"You're going in there regardless if that's true or not, aren't you?"

Leon sighed, "Well, yeah..."

"Even though it could be booby trapped?"

"Booby trapped? Why would-?"

I sighed, walked over to the prison door and rapped on it. "Leon, it's a prison cell. This is a castle where the crazed midget owner is stuck in the dark ages. Back then, castellans booby trapped their prison cells so that none of the prisoners could escape and kill the guy." I replied dryly, "This door is made from three inches of reinforced steel. There is **no way** you can blast through this if the switch turns out to be a trigger for a falling ceiling or something. I am **not** going to stand by and watch you die for my sake."

"I'm going to have to take that chance. Besides, who are you to talk about standing by? You run off to help me and nearly get killed doing so." Leon growled back. I bobbed my head in understanding.

"Okay, then I won't do that anymore, but answer me this. What do you want me to do if the door to this thing slams shut, locking you in and a bunch of crazy monks come in to cart me off into shadows of the castle?

Leon remained silent at the question as I looked at him with a deadpan expression. I wasn't going to let him charge off on his own and I'm not going to do the same. I've learned that neither of those methods were going to help us survive. The stakes had changed and the game may decide to be an ass and come up with deadly random shit for its own amusement. I'm willing to obey to whatever Leon says **if** I know that nothing is going to change for the worse. But if I so much as think something is off, I'm sticking by his side, help him fight off enemies. A song popped into my head that seemed perfect for this moment and maybe help Leon decide.

(A/N: Growl Power! Yes, its the Cheetah Girls song _Cinderella_! I love this song, the group too...a little. But I like the song more.)

"When I was just a little girl, my mama used to tuck me into bed and she'd read me a story. It always was about a princess in distress and how a guy would save her and end up with the glory. I'd lie in bed and think about the person that I wanted to be. Then one day I realized that the fairy tale life wasn't for me." I sang out, "I don't wanna be like Cinderella, sitting in the dark, cold, dusty cellar; waiting for somebody to come and set me free. I don't wanna be like someone waiting for a handsome prince to come and save me. Oh no will to survive unless someone's on my side. Don't wanna be no no no one else, I'd rather rescue myself."

Leon blinked at me in surprise as I continued the song.

"Someday I'm gonna find someone that wants me for my soul, heart and mind, who's not afraid to show that he loves me. Somebody who will understand I'm happy just the way I am. Don't need nobody taking care of me. I will be there for him just as strong as he will be there for me; when I give myself then it has got to be an equal thing." I sang out as I closed my eyes, "I don't wanna be like Cinderella, sitting in the dark, cold, dusty cellar; waiting for somebody to come and set me free. I don't wanna be like someone waiting for a handsome prince to come and save me. Oh no will to survive unless someone's on my side. Don't wanna be no no no one else, I'd rather rescue myself."

The agent closed his eyes in thought as he listened to the song.

"I can slay my own dragons. I can dream my own dreams. My knight in shining armor is me. So I'm gonna set me free." I sang softly then raised my voice to normal pitch. I sang the chorus verse once more before coming to the last one, "I don't wanna be like Cinderella, sitting in the dark, cold, dusty cellar; waiting for somebody to come and set me free. I don't wanna be like someone waiting for a handsome prince to come and save me. Oh no will to survive unless someone's on my side. Don't wanna be no no no one else, I'd rather rescue myself."

Agent Kennedy smiled and opened his eyes, "I understand. If the prison is a trap and monks come after you, then you can do what you told me and rescue me, okay?"

I smiled and nodded, promising him to be more helpful than just a headache. He laughed and we headed out of the room to the other corridor. The agent took the Prison Key from the painting from a former castellan, Salazar's grandfather perhaps? As I snatched up a Green Herb, Leon inspected the horse statues. I turned around just as he was about to walk between them. _Oh, shit! LEON! _I dropped the herb in favor to keeping my hands free. I ran over to him, leaned out, wrapped my arms around his waist and jerked him back just as the horse statues spewed out a blast of flames at the spot he was before. Whew...just in time.

"Holy shit!" Leon gasped as we both fell to the floor and watched the flames continue to pour out. I let him go, crawled from underneath him and sat up while the agent sat up. "Holy shit..." he breathed softly as he stared at the wall of flames. I panted next to him and he cast a glance to me. "Thank you."

"No problem." I wheezed trying to get regain my breath. Note to self...don't stand directly behind your hero, unless you want him to land on your chest and force the air out of your lungs. File. Saved. Got it. The agent stood and hissed at the statues in anger before he helped me up.

"Fucking crazy assed Illuminados and their goddamn traps! They can't bother with putting up a sign saying 'You're going the wrong way!' They need to kill you in order for you to get that point!" Leon snarled as I watched his blue eyes blaze in fury. If I didn't know any better I'd say that his eyes _glowed_ that time. Probably just a trick of the light.

I sighed, "Yeah, clever yet crazy...but hey, it's Spain."

(A/N: For my comment on this part please look at the bottom of the page after the chapter is done. Thank you.)

The agent blew out his breath and calmed down a little, smiling slightly. "True, the bunch of crazies."

I shrugged, "Anyway, we got the Prison Key, might as well flip that switch and see what that does."

"I bet the switch next to the chained guy turns the statues off." Leon growled, "Damn it, I hate set ups. There's always a catch."

We headed back the way we came and stood before the metal door. The agent gripped his handgun and the key tightly in his hands. Was he nervous? He looked over his shoulder at me. "Wait here, okay? And if you can..." He jestered to my loaded down sidepack and belt loops, "...give me some back up firepower."

I swallowed and nodded. I hate the mini fight here, I can go through this a whole bunch of times and **still** be scared of it. "Okay, just be careful. I don't know if you noticed but there are two bells in the room. Maybe those can help you." _Yeah, they will. They've helped me all the time._

"Okay, thanks for the info." He rubbed my head and walked through the doorway, the door closing with a soft, dull _click!_ I headed for the open window and watched Leon descend the staircase and walk toward the cell. I rubbed my hands and shifted from one leg to another in worry as the agent inspected the rusty bar door. _I hate this...I hate this...I hate this..._

**BAM!**

The door slammed to the floor under Leon's kick. _I hate this...I hate this..._ I watched as the agent stepped into the cell hesitantly. He kept his eyes on the Garrador as he reached for the switch. _Not close enough, Leon. You're not close enough to the switch and..._

_"GARRGH!"_

_**CRASH!**_

Breaking free from its chains, the Garrador charged at the agent with seven inch claws fully extended. Leon leaped back in shock and hurled himself to one side as the Garrador swiped at the space he was at a second ago. The claws slashed through the wooden pillar and ripped out a chunk of it. That wouldn't be pretty if it got to Leon. Agent Kennedy scrambled to his feet and pressed himself to the wall as the blind warrior scanned the area, listening carefully for him. Oh, shit, the scare the Garrador gave Leon made him forget about the bells.

"The _bells!_" I hissed toward the agent, who looked up at me in confusion.

"_Yeeeaargh!_" The Garrador barreled toward my direction and clawed the wall below. Sparks flew and a high pitched whine of metal on stone screeched throughout the room. The warrior looked up at me with crudely sewn eyes and snarled. Now's my chance.

"Look at his back! And don't forget the bells!" I called out and the agent nodded, indicating that he got the message. He raised his gun, aimed, pulled the hammer back...Oh, no...

_click!_

The Garrador whirled around at the sound, rushed over and swung wildly. The claws nailed Leon across his left side and sent him flying to the other side of the room. The Blacktail skittered across the floor, well out of Leon's reach as the blind creature continued to claw the air where the agent formerly stood. The agent supressed a moan of pain and stood quietly, looking around for his weapon since he couldn't switch weapons without the Garrador knowing where he was. The Garrador paused, retracted his claws and stepped around cautiously, listening for anything. I popped the pin of a grenade and threw it in hoping to distract it as well as damage it.

Unfortunately, the warrior had turned around before the grenade went off and the blast hit him in the face. The creature howled in pain and clawed the air in front it wildly. Without really thinking and desperate to save Leon, I opened the prison door, which made no sound, and poked my head in. I saw Leon leaning heavily against one wall, sidling along it to his gun. Once he had it, I waved my arm to catch his attention and motioned him to head this way, so he could kill it from out here.

Leon nodded in understanding and stepped carefully in time with the Garrador's own steps as he made his way to the staircase. I pulled back and waited for Leon to come up so I could heal him. The agent ascended the steps but before he could come even close to the door another steel wall dropped down locked itself in front of Leon. Oh, NO!

_"YEAARGH!"_ The Garrador wheeled around at the sound and charged toward the staircase. Oh, shit! There's no way past it on the staircase, unless... The Garrador raced up the steps and the agent threw himself off the staircase. _Ahh! What are you doing?!_ The blind berserker slashed at the door, creating a high pitched scream of metal. The agent tucked himself into a ball, forced his body to roll and flatten out his body in mid air. Oh, he's doing a flip to soften his landing! Suddenly, he gripped his left side and stopped his flip. I freaked out. _No! Nonononono! Don't stop!_ The pain seemed to paralyze his movement and because of that he couldn't complete his flip and slammed back-first on the floor. He cried out in pain and curled on the floor as the waves of pain crashed through him.

The Garrador snapped his head upon hearing Leon's cry, whirled around and headed back down the stairs. Oh, shit! I looked around and broke a vase, there sat a small chest of pesetas. Great, how will that help Leon? Wait...my slingshot! I snatched up my childhood toy and weapon and loaded in the first gold coin. I aimed at the bell farthest from Leon (the only one I could see) and fired.

_DING!_

The gold coin pinged off the bell, catching the Garrador's attention before he was down the stairs. Eager to get to the sound, the Garrador charged toward the ringing bell while still on the steps. And that caused him to trip over and fall down the steps, smacking face first against the wall. I readied another coin as the Garrador stood up dizzily and staggered about drunkenly, obviously seeing stars. I couldn't help but smile. This was the first time that I've seen a dizzy Garrador and now I feel kinda bad for it...kind of. It staggered over to where Leon was, okay, that's a little too close. I fired off another coin.

_DING!_

The Garrador snapped out of it and charged the bell. It raced up to the brass bell and thrusted its claws at it. Ah, shit! The bell shattered under the power of the blind warrior's attack and the Garrador ended up stuck to the wall for doing so. Serves you right! The berserker grunted in frustration as it tried to pry its claws from the wall. Oh, great. It broke the only bell I could hit and I don't have anything to damage the damn plaga on its back. Well, except for the grenades but I'm down to my last four Hand grenades and the area after this I need those to help Leon... But...Leon needs my help now. Hope this works, Flash grenades are a major no-no, the Incendiary ones suck so that meant I had to use a Hand grenade. You suck Garrador!

I loaded the grenade in my slingshot, pulled the pin and fired it at the Garrador's exposed back. Score! Major damage! The Garrador ripped its claws out of the wall as it flailed wildly in pain. It slashed the air madly, heading back toward the injuried agent. I fired another coin in a hurry and it pinged off the bars of the cell as I loaded another coin. It whipped around and charged toward the sound, thrust its arm forward and slashed downward. The slash hit the switch and flipped it down. Oh, shit... that was bad.

"Ahí están!"

Yeah, that's bad.

I turned my head in surprise as zealots rushed down from the other half of the corridor toward me. I instinctively fired a coin at the lamp hanging above them. It dropped and created a wall of fire and setting those who were first to move ablaze. I quickly grabbed three herbs, tied the stems together and dropped it near Leon, hoping he was well enough to be able to heal himself. The cultists waited for the flames to die down and I turned my attention back to the rampaging Garrador. I fired another coin and reloaded before it hit the bottom step of the staircase. Now, if I could keep him there until Leon recovered, we'll have an easier time killing him. The blind berserker went for it and slashed the wall, making sparks fly.

I aimed for the wall again, but was grabbed from behind. Startled, I released the coin and it ricocheted off the metal door that led into the prison. The Garrdor heard it and charged the door and thrusted its arm forward. The claws punctured through the metal and got stuck. Well, that should hold him for a while until Leon recovered. Now for the asshole who had the nerve to grab me. I twisted around and like Leon taught me, slammed my elbow against the zealot's face, breaking his nose. He released me as he staggered back from the hit. I stepped forward and lashed out with a roundhouse kick, breaking his neck. Whoo hoo! Not that I could do that again with thirteen guys advancing on me at the same time.

A few rushed forward and I weaved between them toward the support pillar and threw a Incendiary grenade behind me, creating a wall of fire, the zealots backed away and went around the other side. Great. I picked up Saddler's portrait and threw it at them when they gathered at the open space. This sucks. I'm being chased by these guys and the only weapons I have are grenades, which I really need to save for the coming battle and whatever I can grab. I snatched up a chair when they tossed the picture aside and walked forward menacingly. These guys freak me out more than the zombies in the games, they act exactly like them but creepier. I chucked the chair at them and knocked them over. I grabbed another chair and kept the pillar between me and them.

"Can't you guys just leave me the hell alone?! I don't want go with you! What part of that don't you get!?" I yelled angrily, lifting the chair over my shoulder.

_SCREE!!!!_

The Garrador' claws scraped at the door again, he wanted out badly. I whacked a cultist with the chair and barreled past the others with it as a shield. Oh, god, I should've grabbed the spear when I had the chance at the sword switch security room. I circled the pillar again and jabbed the chair into another zealot's gut and kneed him in the face.

_SCREEEE!!!_

"No dejes que se escape!" one of them rasped as they tried to corner me. I pushed past them but one of them grabbed the chair from me and another grabbed me from behind. I screamed out in anger flailed wildly, punching and kicking like crazy to break the hold.

"Let me GO!"

_**SCREE!!**_

_**CRASH!**_

The metal door collasped and the Garrador escaped the room. Oh, shit! I twisted around and stamped my heel on the cultist's foot, forcing him to release me. I darted away just as the Garrador's claws speared through the zealot's gut, that said cultist was then ripped in half as the Garrador pulled his claws apart in excitement. Eww... The other zealots didn't give a shit and still came after me. I darted by them, thankful for the plush carpet that silenced my steps. I stood behind a larger cluster and grinned at an idea that came to mind. If I couldn't take these guys out on my own then why don't I get their creation to do it for me? Short and to the point, I like it. Now for some noise. I kept the cluster between me and the Garrador, cupped my hands over my mouth and...

"Tu mama es un perro." I sneered out in spanish. (Your mom is a dog.)

That got the Garrador's attention, apparently he can still understand spanish. It roared in rage and charged toward me. I didn't move, the zealots came closer and...bam! The Garrador collided with the cluster of cultists first and proceed to rip them to shreds. The zealots screamed in terror and scattered from the pissed berserker, which excited it even more. A lot of noise meant a lot of targets to rip into. I crawled into the the little hole that I took the gold bars from and sat there as the Garrador chased down everyone. I kept quiet and flinched everytime a limb was torn off.

Ohh! There goes an arm!

Someone's hand!

A leg!

Face...eww...

Soon silence dominated the corridor and the Garrador gazed around, listening intently for anymore noise. If I'm lucky he'll walk away and go into the Water Hall first and take out the enemies there... _Um...he's not moving. _The Garrador stared out into space, his right side facing me. _Okay, maybe he fell asleep from all that running around. No, he's not swaying on his feet. And his claws are still out. Maybe there's another cultist around here and he knows it. Or he's staring at them...creepy._ The Garrador tilted his head slightly to the right and seemed to listen for something.

I tilted my head in confusion.

_"YEEARGH!"_

The Garrador suddenly whirled around toward me and charged. My body jumped in surprise. What the hell?! _How in th world did he know where I was?! I didn't make a sound...unless...he didn't hear me but __**saw**__ me? _My eyes looked around and I finally took in now on how he was able to see me. The corridor was well lit, enough for him to see somewhat clearly. There was no time for me to get out of the little hole and run for it. I squeezed myself back, trying to put as much space between me and his claws. And time slowed to a crawl.

The Garrador continued his charge, his sewn eyes unwavering.

I pressed myself closer to the back wall of the hole, unable to do much else.

He was close enough for me to see his eyes behind the bloody film that gathered around his eyes.

He another running step forward.

My eyes widen, my entire field of vision focusing on him.

The Garrador pulled his arm back and let out a inhumane roar of bloodlust.

I clutched my head, ducked down and screamed out in terror...

_Leon...I'm sorry!_

This was it...

I was going to die a gruesome death...

Leon failed his mission...

All because of me...

_Mom, Dad, everyone..._

The Garrador thrusted his arm forward.

_I'm sorry..._

_Cha-cha...BOOM!_

The Garrador groaned in frustration and pain and fell to the floor. Its claws scraped the wall as it went down with a heavy _thud!_..at least that's what played out in my head.

I kept my head ducked down and my eyes shut, I knew that it was waiting for me to open my eyes before it kills me. My body quivered as I waited for the searing pain of metal claws on soft flesh but it never came. Oh, god, it's torturing me without touching me.

"Rally..."

I shook my head to shake out Leon's sad voice. Oh, god another nightmare. Leon is going to yell at me in my nightmare and blame me for failing his mission. And it's true, I mean I just cornered myself like an idiot and let some monster spear me like sausage.

"Rally..."

A hand brushed my own softly. I instinctively lashed out and slapped it away as I pressed my body closer to the back of the hole. Why won't it **kill** me already?! What, it wanted to torture me some more by playing nice and sound like Leon? Normally, a Garrador can't do that, it not part of its program and didn't make sense. But then so far none of this made sense, for all I know the Ashley that was suppose to be kidnapped wasn't a whiny ditz. Or maybe Saddler is Leon's grand daddy! Who cares! Nothing makes sense anymore! And will you hurry up and kill me already?!

"Rally...it's me. Leon."

I shook my head, refusing to believe it. Leon is bleeding on the floor at the prison cell, not here talking to me. It's a lie and I'm not going to fall for it! Fuck you Saddler and Salazar! There was a soft, sad sigh. Then...

"When you feel all alone and a loyal friend is hard to find... You're caught in a one way street with the monsters in your head...When hopes and dreams are far away and you feel like you can't face the day..." Leon's voice sang softly, "Let me be the one you call. If you jump, I'll break your fall. Lift you up and fly away with you into the night. If you need to fall apart, I can mend a broken heart. If you need to crash then crash and burn, you're not alone..."

I gasped slightly and froze. That..that song. That verse is from _Crash and Burn_ by Savage Garden. I told Leon that the song reminded me of him and I only told him that while we were getting the Castle Gate Key. I told him that just before the fight that gave him the cracked ribs and punctured lung... There was no way that the game could've known that.

I hesitated for a second before I opened my eyes and slowly lifted my gaze. Leon was searching my gaze with concern filling his blue eyes and his image wavered a bit. I realized that I was crying from both fear and relief. He reached for my hand and brushed it lightly. Reflexively, I pulled back in fear and stared at him with wide eyes. Apparently, I was acting like a scared and cornered animal because he merely let his hand settle on the floor of the hole and went still. I looked between him and his hand as if expecting for this to be lie and the Garrador to pop back up and spear me in the face.

It took a lot of self coaxing before I even managed to move my hand toward his and squeeze it. He gave it a gentle tug and I followed the movement, even then it took him a while to coax me out of the hole I was hiding in. I crawled out of the hole and as soon as my feet hit the marble floor, Leon pulled me into a hug and rested his chin on my head. I took that as my cue to cry, to let my fear and relief go.

I quivered in his hug, buried my face against his chest and sobbed. Oh, thank god he's alive! We're both alive and okay. But my god, it was the scariest thing I've ever experienced besides the cabin nightmare.

"It's okay, eveything's fine..." Leon murmured, "We're both alive and fine. Nothing to worry about."

"But-" I protested softly, my voice muffled from his shirt.

"Listen, we both took a risk and almost paid dearly for it but everything turned out fine." he said, "Granted that we're totally freaked out and banged up some but we're fine."

I smiled against his shirt and nodded. "True." I pulled back from his hug and rubbed at my eyes to dry the tears. He stepped back and let his gaze settle on the Garrador's body.

"But man, that definitely scared the life out of me."

"What did?" I already knew his answer.

"What that thing was about to do to you. I healed myself with the herbs near by and staggered out of the prison. When I got to the top, I saw that this thing was already rushing something. I took a step to the side and saw that it had targeted you and you were huddled up in that hole."

I blinked in surprise. I didn't even see Leon there.

"I...I didn't want to believe what was happening until I heard you scream. At the sound of you screaming I didn't think, just reacted. I saw he was about to strike and fired the Riot-gun just before he finished thrusting his arm fully forward. That shot completely popped the plaga on its back and killed it. I walked over to where you were and saw you curled up like an abused kitten. Looking at you being like that broke my heart."

I nodded solemnly and pushd the mental image aside before it took root. "Well, I'm fine and you're fine, so it's all good."

Leon gazed at me sadly, "Are you sure that you're okay?"

I nodded, "Yeah, let's just grab what we can and move on before..." I trailed off, not wanting to finish it. The agent understood.

"Yeah,"

We collected what we could manage and headed for the horse statues. I slowed down and gasped slightly. The next room was the Water Hall...

Oh, shit...

Double trouble...

_Damn you Salazar..._

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Whew another long chappy! I made it long to make up for making you guys wait so long for the chapters. It was emotional wasn't it? Or was it a little over the top... (checks Garrador fight) Oh, great, I made another romantic moment... I **need** to stop doing that..(whimpers) but I can't help it! Sorry, for that but it just came out like that without me knowing.

Well, about the part where Leon's eyes glow... well, I think that Resident Evil Gaiden is part of the time line and fits pretty well as to why Leon's plaga formed so quickly than Ashley's even though he was injected last. Maybe he did get infected while on the _Starlight_ cruise ship. Until I get some good info, I'll be mentioning his eyes glowing every once in a while. Besides, it makes all the more exciting!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! And I like to give my thanks to all of you who review and return for of my fic, thank you so much. Without you guys, it wouldn't be much a fic, now would it?

I hoped you enjoy reading this piece as much as I did writing it!

Chat with ya guys later!

Pikpixie03


	12. Hall Of Water

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and _Hero_ is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry! Oh, and I'll be adding _Holding Out For A Hero_ by Bonnie Tyler once I figure out where to put this little song on. The reason why I placed all the songs you'v read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I usually think of songs and sing them in my head when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

Final Note: Over 40 reviews! Hell yeah! I would love to thank all my readers for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) _"Script? I don't remember being in your crappy script."_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!!!!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Eleven: Hall of Water

_Blam!_

_Blam!_

_Blam!_

A pair cultists, wielding crossbows, fell under Leon's gunfire as a result for shooting arrows at him. One of those had nearly nailed in the agent in the face but it bounced off the wall he was hiding behind. He scowled at the two bodies as we stepped from behind the wall and looked at the two horse statues warily. The switch was flipped and should've turned those two off but then again the game could happily ignore the switch and fry us both if it felt like it. The agent narrowed his eyes at the statues and growled lowly. I could very well tell that he wasn't going to risk his life to see if the fire truly stopped.

Instead, he grabbed one of the dead monks and threw him between the two statues. No flames erupted from their mouths. Leon raised a brow in suspicion and edged forward. Stopping in front of the path and slowly passed his hand through the open space between the two marble horses...

Nothing happened.

Well, that's good...I guess. Leon looked between the two structures then walked forward. Still nothing. The statues did nothing to harm him in anyway. The agent relaxed and motioned me forward. I walked briskly between the two horses, not trusting them in anyway, and joined Leon on the other side of the room. We went through the doorless opening and Leon took care of the lone cultist with another suplex.

I squealed in joy at the move. _"Ooh yeah, Leon! Su-plex!"_

The agent grinned but then looked thoughtful. "Rally..."

"Yeah?" I thought back to the agent's arched back and flexibility. A guy that flexible will make a very lucky girl pretty damn happy. Yes, very happy indeed... _I wonder if..._

I let the thought drift a little then smiled to myself. Oh, yeah...fucking happy.

"...why do you like that move so much?" Leon asked as he shifted through the box of handgun ammo he found. I froze at both the question and the sudden shift in my original thought. Ohh, that's not good. _Gah!...damn hormones..._

"Uh..." I trailed as I shifted my brown eyes around as I pushed the thought aside and focused on the question. _Come on! Come up with something or he'll notice!_ "...because you do it?" _What the-?! What __**hell**__ kind of answer is that?!_

The agent stared at me with a raised brow.

_He's not going to believe that shit!! Come up with another answer!_ "Uh, I mean... It's cool...?" _Oh my god, that is the __**lamest**__ answer I ever used._

Leon narrowed his eyes at me, "Are you...okay? You look..um..flustered."

I closed my eyes and forced a smile, "You worry too much. I'm fine. You doing the suplex is cool and that's why I like it."

The agent relaxed, smiled and popped in a fresh clip into the Blacktail. Why was he so tense? He packed the the rest of the ammo away and moved toward the red metal door at the end of the small room. "Good. You had me worried."

I looked confused. "Why?" _Please don't tell me he's figuring..._

"For a minute, I thought that the plaga had taken you over now."

"Oh."

Scary thought.

"Yeah, sorry for scaring you like that. Anyway, let's get out of here." He reached for the red door and I gulped. I really _hated_ this part. The Hall of Water, the best place to have either Ashley taken away or Leon beaten to death all becaused he's focused on making sure the blonde ditz can turn the cranks without getting caught. This sucks. I sighed inwardly. I **have** to protect myself here in order to give us both a chance to get through this. I can't depend on Leon to protect me forever. He's doing an awesome job of that, really, but I'm merely being a burden if I just rely on him all the time. I want to help Leon, but that's going to interfer with his mission...gah..this sucks!

_Wait...there's more than one way to help him than just trying to take out enemies for him...I can give him advice on how to fight in the room. But...he'll question my knowledge... This sucks._ I scowled at the thought, _Oh, fuck it. If he questions why I'm dragging him to the best places to kill the crazy monks then I'll just tell it's basic common combat sense. Right, I'll go with that._

"Riot-Gun." I muttered as I gripped a Hand grenade.

Leon glanced back me with a confused expression, his hand on the red door. "What?"

I smiled and poked at the shotgun strapped to his back. "Use the Riot-Gun. If there are multiple enemies, I think it's best to have a weapon that can hit most of them in one shot right now. Besides, it saves you the trouble of having to switch guns while on the fly."

The agent narrowed his eyes at the suggestion, thought about it then smiled. He holstered the Blacktail and grabbed the Riot-Gun from his back. I smiled again. He's finally listening to me without questioning why he should! Or why I even know what's behind that door. Agent Kennedy shoved the door open and I scowled at the scene before us as we walked in.

The large hall was beautifully decorated with high cream colored walls and elegant paintings lining them. There were four, two large and two small, pools of cool water; adoring the floor on either side of the room. A plush blood red carpet ran the length of the floor at the center aisle. Obviously, this was to set the tone of being a peaceful and relaxing room. Sadly for the Salazar family, their latest Castellan decided to ruin the tone and turned it into a death trap. Several cultists were lined up at the center of the large room with leering grins. One in the red get up, the leader obviously, and several shield wielders. And as soon as we walked in...

_"Mátalo!"_

The cultists split up, the shield wielders flanking to either side of the room and the red guy hanging back like the wuss he was. Leon cursed angrily as he looked between the two ranks of shield wielders coming at us from two sides, unable to decided who to take out first. I decided that for him. I grabbed his arm and pulled him straight down the center aisle toward the red monk, who laughed darkly. The agent looked completely lost as to why we were heading for the enemy until he saw that the monk was alone. Leon grinned. He pulled out the Blacktail and fired a shot, hitting the crazied cultist right between the eyes. I smiled wistfully. Man, either Leon is a perfect shot or just fucking lucky.

I frowned slightly at the thought as we raced by the red monk, only pausing long enough to grab his money. Something was bothering me about that. Leon's strength and accuracy was...odd. Not to mention his endurance throughout the whole deal...that was odd as well. I glanced back at him, the agent was firing at the cultists tailing us. More raced up from the right and center stairs to join the chase. Why didn't they just wait there and block our path? Ah, that's right, they're idiots. Leon ejected the spent clip and I ushered him forward, so he could take the lead.

"Downstairs." I told him as he holstered the Blacktail. He gave me a strange look. "This area is too open and we'll be surrounded easily. I bet we can take them out a lot more easily if we head downstairs."

Leon grinned at my knowledge and headed down the stairs. "I see that you're getting the hang of the basics of combat. I was thinking the same thing. The narrow halls down here are perfect to take them out without getting attacked at all sides."

"We'll be cornered though." I pointed out as we scurried down the steps. The agent paused long enough to blast a shield wielder out of the way with the Riot-Gun.

"I rather be cornered with my back facing a wall than having a blind spot open to them." the agent answered wisely. I bobbed my head at the thought and finally agreed to the point. Hell, I use that tactic to keep me and Ashley alive in the game. We raced down the little hall and stopped in front of the only door there was, Leon kicked it open, swept the area with his shotgun and motioned me in. The chants of the cultists grew in volume as we raced inside, they weren't far behind us. The agent whirled around and faced the door, Riot-Gun at the ready as I scurried over to the back and snatched up a box of shotgun ammo and a Green Herb.

_Cha-cha...BOOM!_

_Cha-cha...BOOM!_

The zealots were now trying to funnel through the door way to get at Leon but the agent wasn't letting them have a chance of passing through the door. _Geez, these guys don't know when to give up do they?_ I ran to one yellow pressure pad and stood on it. It sank down to level off with the floor and I grinned. Great, at least this thing still works like it's susposed to. I looked up at Leon to see how he was faring against the group of crazied monks. Pretty damn well, just a handful more and we can scope the place out for items before going upstairs... as soon as we activate the trigger to bring out the crank. I tilted my head in confusion as the agent blasted the monk that tried to dart around him. There's only a few left but the chants had not died away in volume.

A zealot dropped in from a hole in the ceiling behind Leon. My eyes widen at the sight and cursed myself. _Argh..! I forgot about that! How in the world could I have forgotten about the hole in the ceiling?! Damn it!_ The cultist wielded a scythe and raised it to slice it into the agent's back, who was too busy blasting the remaining monks trying to fit through the door way to notice. I couldn't warn him about it, he'll get hit in the back by the ones coming in from the front if he turned. So I did the next best thing.

Attack it on my own.

I leaped off the pad and latched onto the zealot's back. I bit the cultist's arm through the robe's fabric as I wrapped my legs around the monk's waist to get a good grip; I slammed my elbow on his arm in an effort to make him drop the weapon. The last of the front charging cultists were killed by the power of the Riot-Gun, but the chants still hadn't subsided. Leon spun around in surprise at the sound of the clattering metal as I finally managed to knock the scythe away from the zealot's hand. More cultists dropped in from the ceiling to attack us as the zealot I was attacking flailed about in an effort to throw me off. Leon blinked in surprise as he stared at me as I began to chomp on the cultist's shoulder in a flurry of bites. I was also clawing the zealot's back in a cheap imatation of Mewoth's Fury Swipes attack.

I guess Leon figured that I was doing fine on my own when he darted around me and began to fire on the other cultists that kept dropping from the ceiling. The zealot reached around behind itself, grabbed my ponytail and yanked on it, hoping to flipped me off its back. I yelped in pain at the motion then cried in surprise as it threw me off. I landed flat on my back with a sharp cry as the zealot charged at me. I flipped back to my feet and snatched up the scythe, swinging it to one side with some difficulty just as the zealot was in range of the blade. The point of the scythe struck just below the helmet and a gush of blood sprayed from the cultist's neck. It dropped to the floor, convulsed at few times then died in a pool of its own blood. The chants subsided and all was quiet. I sighed as Leon came to my side and check me over for injuries.

"Well, other than the bruise on you'll be getting on your back, you're okay from what I can see." Leon said before reloading the Riot-Gun. "Remind me not to piss you off." he added jokingly, refering to my savage little attack.

I grinned, "Yeah, careful. I bite." I waved my hand toward the back of the blue room, "Anyway, there are two pressure pads that we need to stand on in order to keep going."

"Really?" The agent headed for the back and inspected it then stood on it. It sank from his weight and leveled off with the floor. I stood on my pad and it sank, leveling off with the floor as well. We both heard a grinding sound and we looked around the room warily. Leon frowned as he glared at the yellow pad, thumping the barrel of the Riot-Gun against his leg.

"Well, that was pointless." he griped, "Nothing happened."

I shrugged as I stepped off my pad. "Well, maybe something outside the room changed." I said casually, handing him the shotgun shells I found. I kept the Green Herb in my own attache case and we walked out of the room. The agent broke open the two barrels and handed me another Hand Grenade, which I hooked to my belt loop. We headed upstairs and froze. There sat a crank in front of us but waiting for us at the entrance were several groups of cultists that gave us leering smiles. _Oh, fucking great. If it ain't one thing then it's another! Damn you cultists!_

Leon bristled at the sight of them. "Rally, you turn the crank and I'll protect you."

I nodded, "Right."

The agent pumped the shotgun and we raced forward. The cultists charged forward as well, raising their weapons. The chants started again and I reached the crank first. I gripped it and started to turn it but it protested and refused to turn more than a quarter inch from its original position. I glared at it. _Oh, come on you piece of shit! Work with me!_

A mace wielding cultist lunged at me but was blasted away by Leon. He glanced at me worriedly as the cultists placed the shield wielders out first to deal with the agent while the others made a motion for me. This wasn't good. The shield group dispersed into two groups, half charged straight for us while the other half went around the pools of water. The other zealots split up as well and charged at us from both sides. Yeah, this sucks.

I jiggled the crank, trying to get it loose enough for me to turn it. _Goddamn it Salazar, can't you fucking grease these things of yours?!_ Leon blasted the oncoming cultists as quickly as possible, not letting a single one through. The other half of the shield group was gone from our sight but the agent kept an eye out for them. He finished off the shield holders that came at us first with the Riot-Gun, he quickly switched to the Blacktail and fired it at the unarmed zealots.

"Rally, what's wrong?" he called out while doing a suplex.

I glared at the crank and kicked the handle in order to get it moving. "Salazar never used this room much! So the crank is rusted over from neglect!" I called back as I went around to the other side of the crank and began to stomp the handle. "Come. On. MOVE!"

The handle shifted downward.

I threw up my hands in joy. Finally! _Hallelujah!_ I gripped the handle and turned it, working off the rust with some difficulty but it became easier as I went. Leon finished off the unarmed ones and was looking around for the group of shield wielders. The crank slowly gather momentum as the room began to quake with a soft rumbling sound. Directly behind the crank was a large wall with a huge painting hanging on it and it began to lower. I smiled nervously as I worked the crank. The other half of the Hall of Water is behind that, the shooting event and after that...

_I'm going to get caught by that goddamn trap and put Leon through hell looking for me..._ I sadden as another thought crossed my mind, _And Luis could lose his life to Saddler..._

"Te voy a matar!"

I jumped in surprise at the sudden cry. Leon raced past me and fired at the shield holders that finally showed up from the stairs. So that's where they went. The agent kept the cultists back as I worked the crank until it got stuck again. I scowled at it and began to stomp on it again in an effort to get it moving.

"Leon, the crank got stuck again! Keep them busy 'til I get rust off!"

"Alright!"

_Cha-cha...Boom!_

"Come on..."

_Cha-cha...Boom!_

"you piece..."

_Cha-cha...Boom!_

"of shit..."

_Cha-cha...Boom!_

"...MOVE!"

The rust gather around the crank crumbled away and the handle whirled around by itself wildly._ Thank god!_ I looked up from the crank and turned to tell Leon about it...and paled.

The agent was directly underneath the staircase's shadow attacking the zealots and the wall's shadow was growing fast!

_HOLY SHIT ON A STICK!_

I threw myself at the crank, grabbed it and braced my legs it fast and stop it from turning. There was a sharp _pop!_ in my left arm and I cried out sharply but refused to let the handle to move anymore. Yet, the handle was forcefully pulling itself from my grip and I knew that I can't hold it for long. I turned to Leon in fear as my fingers began to slip from the crank's handle and my left arm grew numb.

_"LEON!"_ I shrieked out in panic. Oh, for the love of god, Leon...MOVE!!

The agent turned to me in surprise at my scream and I shrieked again. _Oh, no!! _One of the shield holders grinned evilly as it brandished a mace and swung it at the distracted agent. It slammed right into Leon's side and there was a sharp _crack!_ and the agent howled in agony from the direct hit. He stumbled back in a daze as the pain blocked out all other thought and another shield cultist whipped out a crossbow. My eyes went wide as it fired it and the arrow buried itself to the exact same spot where he was shot at Raccoon City. The agent staggered back from the hit, his mouth open in pain but making no sound at all.

The last of cultists grinned, charged forward and rammed the wooden shield into Leon; pushing the arrow deeper into the wound and making the arrow head puncture through the other side. The ram attack hurled the agent back as his blue eyes glazed over in pain, mouth still open in a silent cry of pain and landed roughly on the floor. Well away from the wall's shadow. Through angry tears, I noticed that and released the handle, letting the wall completely drop. I grinned sadistically as the wall crushed the trio of shield wielders, the marble floor cracking from the sudden drop as I ran to Leon's side.

The pain was excruciating for him. I could tell that easily from the waves of pain flashing across his face. His blue eyes were clouded, unfocused and lost in the fog of his mind as he gripped his injuries and moaned deeply. I dropped to my knees next to him and stared at the injuries that I had helped the cultists cause. The very pain he's feeling now was caused...by me. A sheen of tears formed in my eyes as Leon turned his head and stared right through me as the waves of pain continued to crash through him. I gripped the plush carpet in anger at myself for causing his suffering. After all I said that I was going to help him survive...I manage to do the opposite. I promised to be more helpful and not be a headache, to not be a burden. I reached out to get the arrow but stopped short, remembering my words just a while ago and laughed coldly at myself. Who was I kidding? I'm not helping him...I'm _**hurting**_ him! I can't do anything without one of us getting hurt..mostly Leon.

I clutched my head and bent down my forehead touched the floor and screamed inwardly at myself. _ARGH! I can't do anything right!!Leon is trying to save me and I end up almost killing him...AGAIN!! No, not again...every FUCKING time! Where the hell is his Blacktail?! I'M SHOOTING MYSELF! _I raged mentally the blinked as a sudden thought occured to me and grinned coldly at it._ What's the point? He's going to die trying to save my worthless ass. If I'm this dangerous to him then I might as well look for Saddler and hand myself over. If I'm unlucky enough, which I should have plentely to go around, Saddler will suffer and die by having me near him. It's a miracle that the States hadn't blown themselves to shit while I was living there. Yeah, that should work. Destory Los Illuminados from the inside by just __**being**__ in their clutches..._

"I'm sorry..." I whispered to Leon as he just stared through me, "I'm sorry for all the suffering you're going through because of me."

"Ahí están!"

I glared up at the stairs and saw four cultists rushing down toward us with scythes. Each intending to ending Leon's life and take me away. I'll let them take me away if I could but right now I need to be with the agent and get those wounds healed! They chuckled darkly as they neared us and raised their weapons...and I snapped. I shrieked in out rage, snatched up the Riot-Gun and leaped over the agent's injuried form. I didn't know how to hold a gun, let alone shoot one but at this point, I couldn't careless.

_"Get away from him!" _I screamed angrily, _"Do what you want to me but get the __**fuck**__ away from Leon!!"_ I couldn't remember all that well on what exactly happened there while I was enraged... I guesss I fired the shotgun into the group a few times, Las plagas popped up from each one and I just threw out a grenade and watched them fly and cartwheel through the air.

I dropped the shotgun next me, raced to the one of the small vases and grabbed it. I dumped out whatever was in there, washed it out in one of the pools water and and scooped some of the clear water into it. I brought it back to Leon, popped open the agent's attache case and snatched up a vial of green, red, and yellow herb and dumped its contents into the water. I mixed it and and grabbed another vial of the crushed herbs. I knelt next to the agent and patted his face. Leon's eyes flickered and focus on me.

"Rrr-aa...al...lee.." he whispered brokenly, still lost in the pain. I flinched at his voice, it was my fault...I shook my head to clear it. Now's not the time to beat myself up. If there was anything I could right, it was healing. I hushed him and gripped the arrow and his shoulder.

"Leon, I need you to focus on me for a bit okay? I'm going to pull out the arrow, okay? It's going to hurt like a bitch but there's nothing I can do about it." I told him and saw that he nodded his head weakly in understanding. "Okay, good. I've got the herbs to heal you, so don't worry. Ready? One...two...three!"

I yanked out the arrow and Leon screamed out in pain, body jumping up from the floor. He clutched the wound and rolled to one side, whimpering. Bad move. He rolled onto his injured side. He wailed out in pain and rolled to his back, where I was able to sprinkle some of the powdered herbs onto the injury. He hissed through gritted teeth as it bubbled and fizzed then relaxed somewhat after it was healed. I managed to get Leon to sit upright and held the vase to his mouth.

"Here drink this." I said gently, "It's my Healing Water, its sort of like the Herb Tea only cold. It'll heal the cracked ribs you have."

I helped Leon drink the water til he was well enough to drink it himself. I sprinkled the leftover herbs onto the other half of the wound on his shoulder. He flinched but didn't cry out. Once he was done drinking all the water, the wounds healed and he smiled up at me.

"Thank you." Leon said as he stood to collect what was here in the lower half of the hall. I looked away and sighed.

"You're welcome." I mumbled and the agent glanced at me, "I should be saying, 'It was my fault for getting you hurt' and all that but I'm not in the mood to argue with you."

Leon narrowed his eyes at me, "Why-?"

"You just got healed. I don't want to argue and you're starting up the argument." I muttered and walked away to grab whatever was in the room. He sighed and walked off to raid his half of the room.

After raiding the half the hall, we headed up the steps to the other half. We raided the smaller rooms in the balconies, earning ourselves another First Aid Spray and some more pesetas. We walked into the main area of the mezzanine level and I scowled. More crank turning. Ugh.

I pointed one out for him to see. "Hey, Leon, there's a crank over there!"

Leon looked up and sure enough, there were was one. Whoopie fucking doo. "Can you get up there and turn it?"

I shook my head as I judged the height of the wall. "Not without you boosting me up." I glanced at him and sighed. "Leon...I'm sorry."

The agent sighed, "Rally, are you going to apologize to me every time I take a hit?"

"If I caused it or could've prevented...yeah."

"It was in the job description when I signed up. 'Bloodthirsty, rampaging villagers will try to saw you in half! Escape a castle where the crazed Spanish midget and his gang of equally crazed monks will try to get you to turn evil or kill you in the process! Impress your friends and family! Sign up now!' "

I cracked a grin at the comment. _Leon...you are such a comedian._

The agent walked over to the wall nearest to the crank and I followed. "Come on, Ral." He crouched in front of the wall. "Up you go."

I hated doing this to Leon, even if he says its nothing. Damn goverment and brainwashing agents into thinking that pain is nothing. The jerks. Let them deal with this for once in their life and say that pain in "nothing". I placed my hands on his shoulders and my feet on his back, then stood and slid my feet up to his shoulders, moving my hands to the wall in front of me for stability. Leon grunted as he stood up.

I managed to get my forearms onto the walkway and lift myself up. Ow. I scraped my elbow on the floor. I planted my feet on the wall and walked against it. I scrabbled at the stone floor before finally crawling onto the platform. I stuck my head over and looked at Leon, who rolled his neck and shoulders.

I grinned impishly at him. "So...nothing huh?"

The agent gave me a playful glare. "Shut up." he growled jokingly, "I'll look out for you while you get us out of here."

I smiled. "All right. I'll look out for you too!" I approached the crank and blew out my breath. Here we go. I grabbed the crank and started turning it. The annoying chants began and I focused on raising the under water platforms.

Gunshots explode below me as the cultists rush Leon in an attempt to either kill him, keep him busy or both. I heard the doors on the balcony fly open and zealots walk out one by one toward me. I looked around at both ends, trying to judge their distance without stopping what I was doing. I looked over at Leon, saw that he was being overwhelmed, pulled the pin from my grenade and tossed it into the group rushing the agent.

_BOOM!_

Cultists flew everywhere and I went back to focusing on the crank. One cultist grinned at me as I turned the crank and I glared at it. He was too close to me for comfort and Leon can't fire if the freak is that close. I snapped my leg up and slammed the heel of my boot against his lower jaw, forcing him to back off.

_BLAM!_

The headless cultist collasped against the wall and I threw Leon a thumb's up. He threw one back at me and winked. I blushed and went back to focusing on my task. I turned the crank a few more times and a low rumbling echoed throughout the room. I glanced back and grinned. Half of the pathway out of here rose from the large pool of water and locked in place. Great! Now for the other one.

I ran down the path and a zealot grinned at me from the bridge that I have to cross. I pointed at him and drew my index finger across my neck. He tilted his head and his grin ever wider but looked confused. Apparently he didn't see me as much of a threat. I grinned. I'll just have to prove him wrong. I turned the sharp corner and charge at the weaponless cultist, his red eyes filling with delight at my quick approach. He opened his mouth wide in a loud hiss and curled his arms outward just before he lunged; at the same time I kicked him in the gut. Predictably, the zealot doubled over, breathless and I roundhouse kicked him in the face. He fell over the side of the bridge, there was a sick, sharp _crack!_ and I looked over the edge. He was sprawled on the stairs below, his red eyes glazed over.

Did I kill him?

Other zealots rushed by him and he didn't so much as twitch.

Yeah, he's dead.

I looked around and saw that the ground forces were once again trying to overwhelm the agent. I plucked a grenade from my belt loops, pulled the pin and chucked it.

_BOOM!_

The monks flew about and pinwheeled through the air, dropping their wares. I threw another.

_BOOM!_

Cultists screamed and ran about while on fire, spreading it to the others. Las Plagas emerged from their hosts admist the explosion and shrilled angrily. I grabbed a Flash grenade.

"FLASH!" I yelled and chucked it.

Leon threw his arms up and looked away. A brilliant light flashed out and the hall was filled with screams from the dying plagas and the surprised cries from others. It even worked on the ones that up here with me! I darted around, shoving them off the platform and reaching the crank.

_BLAM!_

_BLAM!_

_BLAM!_

The three cultists that were here, fell to the floor dead as Leon sniped them first before turning back to his group. I grabbed the handle and turned it as a few more dash toward me. I glared at them. _Gah! Can't you see I'm fucking busy?! If you want to die then go jump off the platform yourself! I don't have time to do it for you!_ I ignored them the best I could and just concerated on my job. I tried not to think about them as I turned the crank with a scowl. If they wanted to die that much then Leon can do it for them.

_BLAM!_

_BLAM!_

I grinned as I worked the crank. They never stood a chance. Another low rumbling and soon the second half of the path rose from the depths of the pool. A few persistent zealots remain to attack Leon but he easily took care of them. I leaped down and scurried over to Leon's side as he suplexed a cultist and it's head blew apart. A bone fragment bounced off my upper arm.

_Eww..._

The agent reloaded his weapons silently and stepped past the bodies toward me. "You okay?"

I grinned and flashed out a victory sign. "Hell yeah! You?"

"I came out in one piece this time." Leon smiled while bringing out the Blacktail. "Thanks for the help, Rally. You did a good job. Let's keep moving."

My grin grew wider. "Okay!" I gestured toward the large pool of water. "But I think we should get something to drink and wash up. You're covered blood, Leon!"

The agent made a gesture of being shot in the heart and put on a fake hurtful look. "Ah! Shot through the heart!" He grinned playfully, "Well, you're no prize winner yourself!"

I laughed softly, "I know, that's why I said we should freshen up! Besides, I'm thristy!"

We left our weapons next to the fountain so that won't get wet, in case we fell in. We knelt over the pool and drank from it, letting the refreshing water perk us up. As I drank from the pool, something **cold** splashed on my back. I jumped at the feeling and cried out in shock. I whirled around and saw Leon with a huge grin and holding a vase in his grip. I narrowed my eyes, trying to be angry but couldn't resist the urge to join in the fun.

"Oh, so you want be like that huh?" I growled and snatched the vase from his hands. I threw out the remaining water in it at the agent, hitting him dead on in the face. He leaped back in shock at the cold as he gasped and sputtered.

"Cold!"

"Well, now you know how I feel!" I purred teasingly, filling the vase again. I lifted the vase over my head and grinned at him dangerously.

"What are you thinking?!" he yelped out in mock surprise.

"WATER WAR!!" I yelled out and he took off like a shot from me. "Hey! Get back here!"

I chased him around with the vase for a bit before he got his own and filled it, then chased me around with it. Back and forth we chased each other around and splashed water at one another. Unfortunately, I slipped a puddle of water and landed in the pool. I sputtered and began to paddle to the edge. Leon laughed good naturely, declaring himself the winner...until he slipped on the puddle and landed in same pool I was in.

Then I laughed.

I grinned as I paddled back and around him as he surfaced and spat out water.

"So, "winner", what wise words do you have for this "loser"?" I teased as he blushed in embarrassment for the slip up while I circled him.

"Don't stand next to puddles."

We climbed out of the pool, squeezed out as much water as we could and grabbed our weapons. We leaped across the scattered platforms and proceeded to the Observation Hall.

I sighed. It was fun while it lasted and I'm going to get stuck in that crappy trap for a long while, so it's good to remember this. I clasped my hands together and murmured out a wish.

_Leon...please be careful. I won't be able to help for the next few hours and I can't give you hints or tips of what's to come. Luis, I can only hope that you'll survive as long as Caleb is with you._

I glared up at the ceiling. _I really hate doing this. I can avoid the trap all together and go with Leon but that'll just place him in more danger. Besides, if I don't get caught then we can't get the Serpent Ornament we need to complete the stupid picture. Damn ass end of the thing! Why did Salazar have to place it in that creepy dungeon? It's not like we visit everyday to make his life miserble. Though we should._

Well, whatever happens I can only hope that we both survive...

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Whew! Another Chappy done! YAY!

Okay, on to business. I seriously have a problem here. I'm going to do the whole Leon getting caught in th lousy trap deal but what about the meeting up with Ada? What am I going to do about it? I forgot about it before and now I need to come up with a way to meet up with Ada and not make it boring! Got any ideas?

As for this chapter...if you're going to review it and tell me that it jumps moods too damn much then well, sorry. My mind works faster than my fingers and it tends to screw up my chapters.

I don't know why I placed the water war in there. It just popped out of the blue while I was finishing it up and it stuck. No, there won't be romance in _this_ fic but I'm planning to do a rewrite of the same fic but with the added romance (a light one) for those who like it... and to get it out of my head so I can sleep.

(sigh) I was hoping that I would be able to write and post up the Leon getting caught chapter but alas that's not the case. This chapter took so long to write that I never got to writing the other chapter. And since the finals are this week ...the end of my 2nd quarter... I'll be out of college for a week (vacation or something) and that's the only way I have access to the net. So you guys won't see me for a week!

But fear not! (maybe) I'll be working on the chapter(s) while I'm gone and hope it'll turn out well. If you got any ideas for me to use in this fic or Resurrection of the Nightmare please e-mail me **this** week. I'll give you credit for the idea and I'm still looking for tranlators! Anyone of you guys have friends on this site that know enough spanish to tranlate my Ritual Chant?

Thank you and have a nice day!

Chat with ya later!


	13. Leon's Capture

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _is done by Nickleback and _Hero_ is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry! Oh, and I've figured that I'll adding _Holding Out For A Hero_ by Bonnie Tyler to the chapter where **I** get captured by the Novistador but I've just can't figure out how to do it. The reason why I placed all the songs you'v read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I usually think of songs and sing them in my head when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

Final Note: More reviews! Ooh yeah, baby! I would love to thank all my readers for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (mafia Leon tips his hat) _"Never had a chance."_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!!!!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Twelve: Leon's Capture!

Leon stared at it.

I sighed as the agent tilted his head one way to study it then another, trying to figure it out. We're going to be stuck here all night if he keeps this up. I growled softly as I tapped my foot impatiently and glared at the back of the agent's head. Scorpios don't like to be kept waiting (unless there's nothing to do or can't help it) and that's what I am.

A Scorpio.

And I'm waiting.

For Leon to move.

I sighed and rubbed my temples clockwise. I can't get mad at him for being curious and the way he's doing it reminds me of a child's curiosity. And as a government agent... he just has to figure it out. I grinned slightly as Leon circled the object of his interest. Being a Scorpio is both a blessing and a curse. First the curse, Scorpios are secretive and don't share much of anything to anyone...even to a trusted parent or friend. Hence why I can't tell Leon anything of what I know about the grave situtation we're in...or my feelings to him.

I scowled a little. Ah, the other little curse I hate about my sign. Scorpios are very emotional...especially if its love and we like to protect those feelings at all costs. I rubbed my necklace made of Garent and Malachite stones. _Come on, Garent stones, work with me! These feelings I have are driving me nuts and I can't think straight if my hormones are running rampant!_ I pushed the thought aside and I smiled at the blessing of my sign as I touched the Malachite stones. The only thing I love about being a Scorpio is that we are furiously loyal to the ones we care about...and protective.

I tapped my necklace and murmured my little chant. "Scorpio, Scorpio in my blood. Help me protect the ones I love."

"It's stupid." Leon declared dryly as he lifted a brow at the object.

"So?"

"Salazar needs a new hobby."

"Or therapy. Hey, look, there's some Spinels on the statues."

I pointed out the glittering gems and the agent knocked them off with perfect shots. As I collected them, the thought of Leon being strange returned. I rolled the gems in my hand as I walked back to Leon and followed him to the merchant. Something happened to Leon during his little misadventure on the Umbrella cruise ship the _Starlight_. I don't have all the details about it since I never played the game and I only know the story through walkthroughs. But then half of the RE gamers say that's not part of the actual timeline, yet the other half says that it is.

I narrowed my eyes in thought. The walkthroughs reveal that at the end of the game Leon was infected while on the godforsaken ship. The camera zooms in on Leon as he calls for pickup and shows that he had a tiny cut on his neck. And that tiny cut...was oozing green blood. But the RE gamers were agruing that Leon was never there to begin with and it was just BOW in transformation again. Now, if that was true then the girl Lucia would have noticed, like she had done before when that BOW was under the guise of Leon for the first time.

I glanced at Leon, who was now in some kind of agrument with the merchant. I closed my eyes and brought up my memories about what happened in this adventure so far. _First, Leon became a government agent under the direct order of the President in six years. __**Six fucking years!**__ That's nearly impossible. The amount of training and the climb through the ranks to get to that spot takes a hell of a lot longer. And Leon accomplished that in half the time! Now that's just weird but a few have done that before. So that's not enough to comfirm my theory. Okay, so what about his fighting style? Hmm...roundhouse kicks and suplexes. A lot of people can do those moves... so how many can kill people with them? Plenty. But...but how many can use a roundhouse kick and have the enemy's head __**explode**__ in a gory mess?! NONE! This move can normally kill a person from a broken neck or cracked a skull. __**Not cause an enemy's head to explode!**_

I kept my eyes on the agent. Still don't get it? Let me explain. Resident Evil: Gaiden **is** part of the timeline. Okay, so they don't explain it in RE4, so? Leon's swift movement, odd strength, deadly accuracy and his abnormal endurance to "killer" blows are made by the virus he was infected with! He's infected and that's all there is to it! He's the same as Wesker..a human BOW! Leon just doesn't know about it because the virus didn't mutate him, merely enhance his capablities. Besides, how else can you explain his plaga growing much more quickly than mine...err... Ashley's plaga? Ashley was injected first with the parasite and showed no signs until she hit the castle. Leon was inject with it last and got the first sign as soon as he crossed the damn lake! The pictures in the RE: Gaiden were bad drawings. Besides, who's to say that the cut was **oozing** out green blood? What if the green blood from that BOW splashed on Leon and some of it landed on his neck? And the blood was oozing _**into**_ the cut? I bet you didn't think about that, did you?

I grinned to myself. _Leon as a human BOW, unknowingly wielding the power to take down Umbrella! Sweet! He's sort of like Alice in the movie. The virus didn't change him...he changing it! And his body adapting it to itself! Double sweet! Super human Leon! Hell yeah!_

(A/N: Questions or corrections...flames about this will be dealt with later.)

"What are you grinning about now?" Leon asked, startling me from my thoughts. I jumped a little and blinked up at him. _Ack! I forgot I was here!_

"Uh..." I fumbled for an answer. I can't tell him that he's infected with something else besides the plaga! He'll freak out, have a heart attack and die! I glanced at the Shooting Gallery door and blinked. I smiled inwardly. Found my excuse! I jerked my thumb at the door. "I was grinning because someone owes me a shooting lesson!"

Leon blinked in surprise. "A shooting lesson?"

I nodded. "Yeah! You said that you were going to teach me how to shoot when we got a break from the villagers! There's no villagers, or crazy monks and there a perfect place for you to teach me!" I grinned, "Besides, I remember you saying that you would give me the Punisher once I knew how to shoot! And you still have that gun!"

"I thought you had forgotten about that..." the agent muttered under his breath.

"Leon! I **need** another weapon besides these grenades! I'm running out and you know it!"

"Guns aren't..."

"...meant for girls? Is that it? "Guns aren't meant for girls?" Then what are these?!" I held up a grenade angrily, "DOLLS?! Is that what I've been chucking all this time?! Exploding dolls!?"

"No. Those are grenades..."

"Which aren't meant for girls either but here I am holding them!!" I snapped, "What's the difference between them?! They're both made to cause damage, pain and death! They're both weapons! So what's the fucking difference?!"

Leon was silent as he narrowed his eyes, trying to keep his cool. I've already lost mine. The merchant sighed and rolled his eyes.

I grinned viciously. "Ah, that's right! I almost forgot! Grenades don't have barrels!" I hissed, "Is that what your afraid of? That I'm going to hold the gun backwards and blast myself in the face?! Damnit, Leon, I'm twenty not a two year old! I want to help you but I can't do that if I run out grenades! And-"

_**"I don't want you to change!"**_Agent Kennedy snarled, which made me jump a little.

I blinked in confusion. "What...?"

The agent looked away and balled a hand into a fist that he kept at his side. He glared at something on the other side of the room, growled a little and let his breath out in an angry hiss. I blinked again. His eyes...they glowed again! The agent took a deep breath and calmed a little.

He kept his eyes on whatever he was lookig at. "Rally, you have no idea what shooting a gun can do to a person. It changes them. To shoot a gun at someone...at least out in the field, you have to close off your heart and feel no remorse for what you are doing. True, you're twenty but still innocent and that innocence dies the moment you pull the trigger and end someone's life. I've seen how you looked at the villagers and monks, you look at them with sorrow and pity."

"That's because their lives have already ended and we're giving them a mercy they want."

Leon shook his head, "You still don't get it. The people here are very much alive, they're not like the zombies from Raccoon City, who were already dead and gone. The villagers' lives aren't gone just trapped until you end it. True, we're setting their souls free but at the same time we're stealing their lives. I don't want you to change because you still have innocence. An innocence that I've lost since Raccoon and the same that I want back but know I can never do. And I don't want you killing it. So don't change and don't ask me to teach you how to lose it."

I blinked in shock. I've never thought of it like that but grenades are the same as guns so that meant my innocence was already gone. "I...never knew that. But...I've already lost my innocence." I said quietly.

"With what?"

"Duh, grenades. I throw and people go _boom!_, remember? I've already killed a lot of people so my innocence is already dead." I pointed out.

Leon didn't bat an eye. "Did you hesitate?"

"What?"

"Did you pull the pin and automatically throw it into the crowd or did you pause for a second?"

"I..." I blinked in confusion and thought back to my battles. Of all the times I've thrown the grenades... I **did** pause for a brief second each time. "..paused. But only for a brief second and to adjust my aim!"

"Then it doesn't count. You still have your innocence. You think you're just adjusting your aim when you pause but in actuality your innocence was fighting with what you were going to do. Besides, once you have a gun in your hand you can't hesistate for a second."

I sighed. Great. Leon suddenly goes Gun Sage mode on me and I'm running out of grenades. I looked at the shooting range then back at the agent. The merchant was quiet as he went through his wares, probably not going to risk getting chewed out by the agent. I sighed again and Leon's head turned to me with a questionable look on his face. I just know I'm going to piss him off.

"Teach me how to shoot."

Leon glared at me, his eyes almost glowing from the blue torch's light. "You don't listen very well do you?! Didn't you understand what I said?!"

I narrowed my eyes. "I heard and understood but that's not going to stop me from learning. I'm only asking you to teach me how to shoot."

"And I'm telling you no **fucking** way."

"Teach me just in case something goes wrong!"

"Then what the hell am I going to tell your parents when we get the hell out of here? Show up on your doorstep with you hugging yourself like crazy and I'll say... 'Hi, I'm Agent Leon Scott Kennedy. The good news is I've rescued your daughter! Bad news is I've taught her how to shoot a gun and is now no longer the innocent girl you once knew. She's completely withdrawn and traumatized for the rest of her life. Is there a problem with that?'!" Leon griped, eyes blazing and "glowing".

I suppressed the urge to laugh at his sarcastic remark. "Then just teach me how to hold a gun!" I growled as the agent threw his hands up in the air in anger.

"_FINE!_ I'll teach you how to hold a goddamn gun if only to shut you up!" he snapped. Leon took out the Punisher, ejected the clip and removed the bullet in the chamber and shoved it into my hands. "Here. Let me see how you hold a gun on your own."

I glared at him for a second then shifted my stance to mimic the stance used by the STARS in the first game. I liked Jill's stance and decided to imitate that instead. Leon watched me for a bit before his brows lifted in surprise. I think he recognized the stance I was using.

"Jill." he murmured in rememberance before he nudged my arms a little higher and my feet a little closer together. Several mintues after checking my stance was right, Leon declared that I officially knew how to hold a gun properly. I scowled a little as he plucked the gun from my hands afterward. Well, I did say that I wanted him to teach how to **hold** a gun, not shoot it. I glanced at him as he slapped in the clip and bullet and noticed that he was actually a lot calmer now. That's good because I feel like a jerk for the whole agrument earlier.

"Hey, Leon."

"No."

"I'm not going to ask that. I was just wondering if you're still mad at me."

"...A little."

"Then go to the Shooting Gallery."

"Why?" Leon inquired as he holstered the Punisher, a brow raised in suspicion. I sighed and rubbed my neck. How am I going to explain to him it's an area to win cool prizes and the best place to lose track of time? I haven't had time to talk to the merchant about it. _Oh, to hell with it! Let him be suspicious if he wants but I want the calm and gentle (before I pissed him off) Leon back._

"Because it's a great stress reliever. You're stressed about the mission, Salazar, Saddler, and me. Might as well work it out of you so you can feel better and think more clearly."

Leon sighed and headed for the blue door as the merchant went in first. "Fine. I am stressed and I've got a headache."

I winced at his words and followed him in.

---------------------------------------------

Two hours later...

With the fight forgotten and winning several bottlecaps, we walked out of the Shooting Gallery in laughs. I grinned in rememberance of Leon's shocked face when he accidently shot the cardboard me, after winning the bottlecap of me, of course. The look on his face was priceless. After getting the bottlecap me, Leon rang the bell for another round. All was going as normal when the cardboard me suddenly popped up and startled the agent. Hence why he shot it. The agent stared at the "Rally" cardboard pieces on the floor and looked at me with huge eyes. I just shrugged as my body shook from the giggles I was keeping in. The Merchant was laughing from behind the desk and had his hand over the keyboard of his laptop. Leon decided that he had enough and that we had to go.

"I can't believe he did that to me!" Leon laughed as checked his clip for the Blacktail. I giggled again as I held up the tiny figurine of Caleb.

"Probably to teach us to not fight each other so much...but it was funny!" I laughed as I poked the button on the side.

There were several barks from the dog, then translated to: _"Don't worry! I've got your backs!"_

Both Leon and I stared at it in surprise. We looked at each other, blinked then bursted out in laughter again. That was so cute! I wonder how Caleb will react to a bottlecap of himself?

"It looks as though the Merchant is a Dog Whisperer." I snickered as I handed the bottlecap to Leon for him to put away. He cracked a grin as he pulled out a bottlecap with me set on top. It was the perfect replica of me; with my red tie-dye shirt, blue jeans, black high top boots, and my side pack with a tied shirt around my waist. Grenades were hooked all over my waist and a few were peeping out of my side pack. I was in a carefree stance and held a grenade in my hand as if I was tossing it up and down in my hand. I was also wearing a sly grin on my face.

Creepy.

The agent poked the button.

_"Ooh yeah, Leon! Su-plex!"_

I blinked at it. "I have got to know who made these things."

"You and me both." Leon mumbled as he removed his attache cas so he could pack the bottlecap away. I strayed from him as I walked toward the hall that held the trap I had to run into but stopped short of it. I only scowled at it._ Stupid hallway and cheap ass traps._ I turned away to walk back toward the agent, who removed his holster straps to readjust them. I sighed as a flash of sadness crossed my eyes for what I'm going to do to the agent. _Through the halls of hell you must go to get me back, Leon._ I frowned in thought. Following game rules suck.

Suddenly, my lungs flared in pain, my diaphragm went nuts and my throat went dry and tight. It felt as though someone was strangling me! My eyes widen as a cough forced itself out of my mouth. _Wh-what?! NOW?! No! No no no no! It's not supposed to happen now! I'm not even at the door yet! Hell, I'm not even in the hall yet!! _Another cough escaped from my mouth and I drew in a ragged breath. Oh, god its even worse! I can barely breathe!

Leon looked up at me in surprise and we locked eyes. He took a step forward as I stared at him with fear. This wasn't good. My eyes watered as he walked slowly toward me. "Rally, are you okay-?"

A sorrowful look flashed across my eyes and I knew he saw it. His eyes widen as he finally knew what was happening and ran toward me. I took off like a shot and raced down the hall. I didn't bother with the line Ashley was supposed to say and just ran down the hall. _To hell with the lines! I've got to get to the trap to force Leon to go through the detour and meet up with Ada and Luis!_

I heard the agent's rapid footsteps as he ran to catch up with me. I'm not the best runner in the world but when you're freaked out enough you can out run the fastest man in the world! I coughed again and it caused me to stumble and lose some speed, giving the agent a few seconds to close in on me. I stumbled through the hall as I pumped my arms for speed and barely felt Leon's hand brush my back, he's right behind me! I sped up to escape the agent's grasp, knowing fully well that if he caught up to me, I won't be able to go through the trap. Tears ran down my cheeks as I heard the agent's soft growl of frustration.

_Leon..._

"Rally, _wait!_"

_I'm sorry!_

Yes! The door wasn't far from me now! If I can just get past that door... My lungs flared angrily for lack of air and the fucking plaga that can't seem to wait another ten seconds! Another powerful cough racked through me, causing me to double over in pain and a splash of blood hit my hands. _Eww..._ I tossed the blood aside and kept running...

"_Shit!_" Leon hissed softly and I mentally kicked myself. _Oh, brillant! Just toss the blood aside and let Leon see it! Now's he running faster to make sure I don't get away! Argh!_

Another, but more powerful cough forced its way out of my throat, causing me to veer to the rightside of the hall. From my sudden motion, I stumbled and because of my stumbling, I got my legs "tangled" and I tripped over, falling flat on my face just in front of the sewer door. Damnit!

Leon caught up, raced past me and whirled around, blocking my way to the trap wall. I sighed inwardly and gulped as the agent glared at me with ice in his eyes. Ah, shit...stupid coughes. And I'm going to get yelled at by Leon for trying to leave him behind. And I was right.

"Rally, what the **hell were you thinking?!**" the agent yelled in fury. I winced and sighed, looking away from him. The game hates me...I know it. He reached down to hoist me up and that got me thinking. As soon as Leon lifts me up, I'll hit him the stomach and make a run for the wall. He'll hate for that but it's the only way to get that damn serpent piece. God, the shit I have to do to get all the crap we need to get out of here! But before the agent had a chance to hoist me up and yell at me some more, the door to the sewers flew open and a large greenish gray bug thing barged through.

Novistador!

The ugly creature looked around wildly and let out a odd shriek as it spotted us. Well, sort of. I was still on the floor and it didn't see me...but it saw Leon! It shrieked again, leaped forward, slammed into the agent and began to shove him toward the wall. Leon yelped out in shock and grabbed the Punisher...the only weapon he had on him...everything else he left behind while chasing me! _Argh! NO!_

"What the **hell** is this thing!?" Leon growled to himself.

The Novistador lifted the agent a little and flew him to the back wall as Leon struggled with it to get it to let his gun arm go. He managed to get his right arm free and fired the weapon into the bug's chest at point blank range. The bug shrieked in pain but didn't drop the agent and what was worse is that they just passed over the first set of spikes!

_Sh-ink!_

_Blam!_

_Blam!_

_Sh-ink!_

_Blam!_

_Blam!_

"Let me go already!"

_Sh-ink!_

_Blam!_

_Blam!_

The Novistador continued to push the agent toward the back wall despite of its wounds. The bug was already dying but Leon was still shooting it to get it to let him go. With the last of its strength, the monster bug kicked Leon back against the wall jst before the last set of spikes shot up and speared the bug. The Novistador twitched madly as the agent slammed against the wall...right between the six little holes. I shrieked in panic. _Argh! NO! _

_"LEON, GET AWAY FROM THE WALL!!"_ I screamed out as the agent shook off the pain.

Too late.

The three metal rings shot up, curled around the agent's body and forced him back, locking him into place. "What the hell?!" Leon cried out in shock as he struggled against the rings, the Punisher dropping away from his hand. There was a soft rumble echoing through the hall. Oh god, the wall is about to shift! I screamed out in fear as I jumped up and raced toward the fenced off area. I threw myself at the fence and tried to squeeze myself between the bars. I shoved my arm between the bars and clawed the air in front of me in a desperate but useless attempt of dragging Leon out of there.

The wall began to shift and our eyes locked onto each other. Leon was completely freaked out about what was going on and he feared for my life. I cried at his expression. Even though he's the one in trouble, he still feared for me..me!! _Goddamn the heroics! Leon, don't look at me like that! You're the one in trouble, not me!! _I was completely freaking out that it wasn't supposed to be like this and feared for his life.

The wall turned and Leon disappeared on the other side of the wall. That's it. He was gone...caught in a trap meant for me... This was not fucking good! We're screwed!! I leaped back as the spikes shot back down and I raced toward the wall and threw myself at it, pounding on the wall with my fists. _NO! NONONO! Argh! That wasn't supposed to happen! I was the one to get trapped not Leon! Let him go you fucking wall! Let him go and take me! That's what you're supposed to do! __**Take me!!!!**_

I pounded on the wall a few more times before sliding down in front of the wall and cried. This was wrong on so many levels! Leon needed to be here for him to meet up with Ada and find out what the hell she's up to...sort of. Then meet up with Luis for the final time... unless we can divert his death.

I punched the wall several times. "Damnit! Damnit! God fucking damnit! Son of a fucking bitch!" I shrieked at the wall.

"You have a very colorful mouth, you know." came Leon's muffled voice.

I looked up in surprise and stared at the wall. Leon can hear me?! "Leon?! Are-are you okay?"

"Ye-yeah... The only thing that's hurt is my back and my pride. I can't believe that I got caught in a cheap trap."

"Thank god, you're okay!"

"We're screwed aren't we?" the agent asked softly, which made me wince.

"I...I don't think so."

"Rally... don't lie. We're screwed. I'm the only one that can get us out of here but here I am stuck in a trap. We're trapped in this castle until I get myself free...but I don't see that happening anytime soon. I left all weapons on your side, I don't have anything to break out and get back to you."

"Leon..." I murmured as I sat there with my back against the wall.

"I'm sorry...that I can't help you..."

(A/N: _Angel of Darkness_ by Alex C. and Yasmin K)

"Angel of darkness...Angel of darkness...The world is in your hand but I will fight until the end! Angel of darkness...Angel of darkness... Don't follow your command but I will fight and I will stand! When darkness falls, pain is all the Angel of Darkness will leave behind and I will fight!" I sang, "The love is lost. Beauty and light have vanished from garden of delight. The dreams are gone. Midnight has come, the darkness is our new kingdom! Angel of darkness...Angel of darkness...The world is in your hand but I will fight until the end! Angel of darkness...Angel of darkness...Don't follow your command but I will fight and I will stand!"

I could tell Leon was listening sadly.

"Hunt goes on deep in the night. Time to pray! Down on your knees. You can't hide from the eternal light until my last breath I will fight...I will fight...I will fight...I will fight...I will fight...! Now realize the stars they die, darkness has fallen in paradise! But we'll be strong and we will fight against the creatures of the night!" I sang, "Angel of darkness...Angel of darkness...The world is in your hand but I will fight until the end! Angel of darkness...Angel of darkness... Don't follow your command but I will fight and I will stand! Yeah, yeah!"

I sighed sadly... I knew what had to be done. And this will kill Leon from the inside.

Leon seemed to know what I was thinking. "Rally...don't."

I pushed away from the wall.

"Rally...I said 'don't'."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't do it, Rally."

"I have to..."

"Damnit, Rally, I said 'No'!"

"I'm the only one that's free..."

"I don't care. Don't do this!"

"You saved me so many times...now it's my turn to save you."

"Rally, don't! If you kill your innocence...!"

"It's the only way to save you...I'm sorry..."

I took off running as Leon shrieked angrily from his trap behind me. I raced back into the open room and grabbed his equipment, then I barged into the Shooting Gallery, startling the Merchant. I dropped the items and marched up to him. I looked at him dead in the eye.

"Teach me how to shoot."

It was time...

I had to change...

For Leon's sake...

_Leon...may you forgive me for what I'm going to do..._

"Don't worry, Leon. I'm coming for ya."

------------------------------------------------------------

Leon's capture complete!! WHOO! I hope you enjoyed it!!!

I think what happened in RE: Gaiden does kind of explain why Leon's plaga advances so quickly. Besides, a normal kick to the face doesn't bust a head open in a spray of blood and gore. It's the type of power Wesker has. Wesker kicks and your head pops like a balloon. Rookie Cop Leon (before Gaiden) kicks and you're bound to have a broken nose at the worst. Agent Leon (after Gaiden) kicks and your head has a high chance of popping too. Coincidence? I don't think so. I believe that Gaiden is part of the RE timeline. Then again I can be wrong. I thought this out pretty well from all the info I've gathered and this is what I got. Leon probably doesn't notice because there's no obvious sign that's he changing and he hasn't gotten those cool, creepy cat eyes or something. So he goes on his merry way, thanking god that he's alive after the ordeal. Don't like it? Tough. I'm sticking to my theory. Flame me or correct me all you want...I'm not changing my mind but I willl love to hear what you say. But if it just you whining that I'm wrong then I'm not bothering to answer you.

Chat with ya later!!


	14. Prison of a Frozen Innocence

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _done by Nickleback and _Hero_is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry! Oh, and I've figured that I'll adding _Holding Out For A Hero_by Bonnie Tyler to the chapter where **I **get captured by the Novistador but I've just can't figure out how to do it. The reason why I placed all the songs you've read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I usually think of songs and sing them in my head when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

Final Note: 50 reviews! Ooh yeah, baby! I would love to thank all my readers for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic! And I like to thank Autumn Alchemist for her suggestion of using the song: _Frozen_ by Within Temptation. Excellent song! It fits here so damn nicely! (now I can't stop listening to it...its addicting!)

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (mafia Leon tips his hat and holds up the Chicago Typewriter) _"Make my day."_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!!!!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

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Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Thirteen: Prison of a Frozen Innocence (2nd draft)

I strapped on the agent's holster strap, adjusted them to fit me and brought out the Blacktail. I checked it over for damage and its sights before reholstering it back in Leon's leg holster. I looked down at the new outfit that I wore which the merchant gave to me and nearly cried. The outfit was similar to that of Leon's and Wesker's put together.

From Leon's outfit I wore a charcoal-black 5.11 shirt fit for me and black finger less grip gloves. From Wesker's STARS outfit I wore the black cargo pants that hugged my frame slightly and were tucked into the black combat boots. I flexed my gloves and sighed, just looking at them made feel bad for what happened to Leon. _My fault... _I _s_hook my head and pushed the thought aside. _I have to get ready, no time to beat myself over the head._

I packed Leon's attache case away, along with the transmitter he carried and tapped the Punisher that was hung in another leg holster the merchant gave me. The merchant stared at me as if Leon's image overlapped me and smiled a little. He reached into his robe and pulled out a knife, which he held out to me.

"I believe this will come in handy, lass." the merchant said as I took the small combat knife. It looked somewhat similar to Jill's survival knife. "Don't worry yerself, lass. The stranger is hard type to kill off; how else can ya explain his survival of Raccoon City?"

I sheathed the knife and sighed. "I know but I can't help it. It was my fault the he got caught in that trap." I muttered as I checked over everything. "Besides, Leon was supposed to be here and rescue me from that stupid trap." I added under my breath.

The merchant smiled again. "Aye, so it was yer fault, so what? Ya can make it up to him by rescuin' him." the robed figure said, "Besides, this is the perfect time to show him and yerself that yeh can take care of yerself if anythin' happens to separate the two of ya."

"Yeah, I know that but Leon doesn't want me to change or lose my innocence..." I mumbled sadly as I looked around the room for anything else to take. The merchant sighed.

"Lass, there are gonna to be times that yer gonna to have to give up one important thing for another."

"But I have to give up two things..."

"And isn't the stranger worth the loss of those two things?"

"Yes. Yes, he is. He's worth everything I have..."

"Well, there ya go then! Get out there and make 'im proud!"

I grinned and searched all over the room for items that Leon and I overlooked. I crammed the shotgun shells, handgun ammo and a green herb into the case then looped a grenade on my new belt. When I felt that I was ready to go, I walked back inside the hall where Leon was captured while bringing out the Blacktail. I will forever **hate **this hall. I headed for the back wall and placed my hand on it.

"Just hang on, Leon." I murmured as I pressed my ear to the wall. I barely heard his soft breathing through the stone. I closed my eyes and focused on the breathing. It was deep yet soft, smooth and rhythmic. I couldn't help but smile. Leon had fallen asleep during the hours I was gun training at the Shooting Gallery. Well, if there was a good thing about this whole messed up ordeal... it's that the agent is now getting some much needed sleep. He won't make it without some shut eye no matter how much he says otherwise. He's tired but he just doesn't want to show it. _Damn heroics. _I thought with a snicker. To help him get some good dreams, I sang _Once Upon A December_ again. He mumbled in his sleep and I suppressed a giggle. He mumbling about Ada. It was cute and I wished I could watch him sleep. Oh, well... I gave him a silent prayer and hoped he wished for my success and safety as I pulled away from the wall and headed for the door that led to the sewers and prison cells.

I was really nervous about the quest I was about to undertake. The detour I will have to through will be long and dangerous and not to mention there's no one to help me or watch my back. I smiled sadly. _Come on, if Leon could go through hell by himself to save you then you could too. _I blinked as a thought entered my mind and I smiled broadly. _Leon says that doing this will change me and that I will lose my innocence... What if I can prove to him that it not always true? What if I can go through this, save me and show that I can still be me and not some harden, battle scarred young woman? And prove to him that no matter what I will always retain my innocence? Then he can't say that I can't help him and he doesn't have to worry about me as much as before. _

My grin grew wider. Yeah, I'll go with that!Just before I had a chance to touch the battered wooden door, the agent's transmitter went off. I fished it out and rolled my eyes. I knew exactly who it was.

"What the hell now?" I griped as I answered the call. There was the midget's hysterical giggle coming through the speaker and I shook my head. I still think he's gay. "Salazar, are you going to answer me sometime soon or this a mere prank call?"

The medieval midget's image fuzzed in on the little screen. _"Mmm-hee-hee-hee-hee-ha..! We jacked the line_!" the Castellan laughed, _"We didn't want you telling everyone any unnecessary information."_

I let out an irritated sigh. "I know you jacked the line, you dipstick. Why else would I be calm about this?" I growled, trying to keep my voice as low as possible. No reason to wake Leon about this. I grinned suddenly, "Besides, if the information is unnecessary then why did you jack the line?"

The little man scowled at me. "_What are you doing answering this call? Where's Mister Kennedy?"_

I kept my grin, "Sorry, 'Mister Kennedy' can't come to the transmitter right now but if you leave a message I'll be sure to never give it to him!"

_"Watch your tongue, woman! You're in MY domain!" _Salazar hissed angrily, obviously not pleased with my attitude.

I stuck out my tongue and crossed my eyes, faking to try to watch my own tongue. "Sorry, but I can't do that. How can you watch your own tongue?" I asked in mock confusion. The Castellan's face burned with anger, which I grinned at.

_"Impudent child! Do not arouse my anger!"_

" 'Arouse your anger?' You sleep with your anger?_**Ew.**_No wonder you're aggravated." I muttered in a disgusted tone, "And watch who you're calling a 'child', shortie!"

Salazar glowered at me from the screen, narrowing his eyes and tightening his jaw. "Careful, that can lead to tooth loss." I said cheerfully, grinning as the little man's body quivered with barely contained fury.

_"Do not test me, woman. I've let our miserable insects out for some exercise down in the sewer." _he hissed, giving me a cold look.

I mirrored his expression. "Why thank you. We'll be sure to ship their carcasses back to you when we're done 'exercising' with them." I growled sarcastically.

The Castellan narrowed his eyes and grinned dryly. _"I look forward to our next encounter with Mister Kennedy... In another life."_

I grinned slyly."And be sure to wear clean underwear!" I purred in a motherly tone, then switched to a sour look. "Now get off the line if you're done rambling." I griped, switching the radio off before Salazar had a chance to retort. "Crazy ass, blabbermouth midget."

I tucked the radio away in its protective case on the back of my belt and sighed. Well, there's another good thing about Leon getting caught... he doesn't have to deal with Salazar for the next few hours. I checked the Blacktail's sights one final time before placing a hand on the wooden door and pushed it open...

--------------------------------------------

I entered the next room, broke the barrels and got some ammo. I scowled as I realized Leon's attache case was full. Well, I still have my own to put this box of TMP ammo in and I looped another Flash Grenade on my belt. I walked around the corner and peered over the ledge and stuck my tongue in disgust. Bad move. The sewer smell touched my tongue and I spat out the taste and shuddered. _Ugh... gross! How does Leon put up with this?_ I shook my head and erased the thought. When you're trying to run for your life in a city full of undead and monsters, you don't care where you go as long if its the way out. Yeah, it's best to keep that in mind. I dropped down the ledge and landed with a loud _splash!_ as soon as my boots hit the inch deep water.

God, it's cold and clammy.

Slowly, I walked along the corridor of the prison area, careful to make as little noise as possible. Which is kind of hard to do with water constantly dripping everywhere. As I walked past two holes I heard a loud _crash! _and loudthumpingof feet. I jumped in surprise and aimed at the left hole. When nothing else moved or made noise, I relaxed slightly and sighed.

_I hate this place. _

_Splash!_

My eye twitched.

_I __**really **__hate this place._

I resisted the urge to yell angrily as yet another droplet of water smacked the top of my head. I blew out my breath softly to calm myself down as I reached the end of the corridor. I froze as I saw that my breath came out in a little puff. I blinked in surprise then narrowed my eyes. I remembered that the bug things, Novistadors, love to keep invisible and hide in the shadows for their prey to walk by.

I frowned as I swapped for the Semi-auto Rifle. Gah... I never really played through this part of the level or like the Novistadors. My cousin preferred to play this area for me... I guess he loved this section. I've read the Player's Guide about this area but actually experiencing this without some knowledge of what to do or where to go... it's kind of cool. I looked around the corner with the rifle held close to me and peeked through the sniper scope. I zoomed in on the next corner.

_Sssss... _

_Where are you...? _

A little wisp...

_Got you, fucker!_

_BLAM!_

The monster bug's body flew back...without its head. It let out a dying hiss, squirmed around a bit then died. I kept to my spot and swiveled the rifle around to see if there were anymore just waiting for me to drop my guard. Seeing nothing else, I proceeded around the corner and walked quietly to where the bug laid. I knelt down and picked up the Green Eye that the Novistador dropped. I packed it away and stood and felt a sudden twinge of guilt as I gazed at the bug's body.

A guilt that came from both my heart and soul and realized that this is what Leon meant. I've just shot a living creature with the intent to kill in my mind. My innocence knew that and was angry at me, causing that little pain. I've just began the destruction of my own innocence. I sadden at the thought and gripped the front of my shirt and sighed. This wasn't good...this meant that what Leon had said was right and maybe this quest will change me to the point where I can't be myself anymore...

Suddenly there was a disturbing noise.

Snapping out my thoughts, I narrowed my eyes at the sound, trying to figure out what that meant. It was a loud, but rhythmic alien-like hum. I sidled along the wall carefully, so to not make so much noise and the humming grew louder as I moved along the wall to the next area. I paused and looked through the scope at the mostly empty pool.

Two wisps of breath and the humming was coming from them. Okay, so the humming means that the Novistadors are close by...that's good to know. The twinge of guilt returned and gave me a warning about what I was doing. I ignored it the best I could and fired at the two invisible bugs, killing them in one shot apiece. The twinges of guilt soon turned into dull aches that threatened to eat me alive from the inside out if I kept this up. I sighed again; I can't go through this detour if my innocence kept insisting to leave those things alone.

This sucks. I growled a little at the situation. I don't want Leon to be proven right by showing that I've changed and lost my innocence but I can't go further without doing so. I glared at the water in the pool as I tried to figure out what to do. How can I proceed without changing who I am? How can I keep my innocence so Leon doesn't flip out and be pissed for the rest of the adventure? I let my mind wander for this but kept my ears on alert.

_What to do? What to do? How can I protect my innocence without hindering my ability to get through this?_ I thought as I hummed a soft tune to myself. I felt a little better and then a solution popped into my head. _Why didn't I think of this sooner? Must be slipping. What if I can distract my innocence and yet at the same time keep my mind focused as to why I'm doing this? _

Now what is the best way to distract but at the same time focus? Music and games! I'll distract my innocent self by thinking that is just the game at home. But I need a song to fit the situation I'm in right now. Sorry, my mind tends to wander off if I'm distracted so I need music to focus my knowing self on the battles ahead. I just hope it works if not... nevermind it's best to not dwell on it... I leaped over the ledge and collected the gems the Novistadors dropped, a Velvet Blue, a box of handgun ammo and a box of TMP ammo from the pipe.

"The things a girl's gotta do to save someone..." I murmured as I dropped the items into my attache case. Man, this would be so much easier if Leon was here... It was my fault for not getting to the trap in time... I smiled a little when I knew the perfect song that described how I felt, popped into my mind.

(A/N: _Frozen_ by Within Temptation. Autumn Alchemist thank you for the idea to use this song!)

_**I can't feel my senses,  
I just feel the cold.  
All colors seem to fade away,  
I can't reach my soul.**_

I climbed the ladder and entered the next room quietly. I looked around the fairly large and "empty" room. I peered through the scope and spotted one hidden in the hole on the ceiling. I scowled at the invisible Novistador. It was cleverly hidden in the hole so it couldtn' be shot down, protected by the walls of the hole. I switched for the Blacktail and walked slowly toward it. The creature dropped down and hissed hungrily. I fired the gun rapidly at it but shrugged off the hits and returned to its invisible state. Which was useless since I could see its glowing eyes perfectly. It raced toward me as I continued to fire then at the last minute, spin kicked it aside. I rushed over to where it fell and blasted it in the face. (_Score! Twenty points!) _I thought as cheerfully as possible for my innocent self's sake. I scooped up the Red Eye and felt a twinge of guilt. Not from the bug's death, mind you, but the fact that Leon isn't here to help... All because of me...

_I'm doing this for Leon. Nothing more, nothing less. If it weren't me messing up..._

_**I would stop running,  
If I knew there was a chance.  
It tears me apart to sacrifice it all  
But I'm forced to let go...**_

_Goddamnit! Let go of that thought! There was nothing else I could've done but follow the game's rules and even then it ends up biting you in ass later on! ...But... I don't like being here alone... There's a piece of me missing and Leon has that piece... and he's not here..._ I shivered. It was the warmth of friendship that was missing... something I craved each time I was stabbed in the back by friends that turned on me for the "cool crowd" a year later. I shuddered at rememberance. That's why I was anti-social. I've lost trust in people...so I was just like Steve Burnside... and sort of became cold...

_**Tell me I'm frozen  
But what can I do?  
Can't tell the reasons  
I did it for you...**_

But I did have a few true friends that stuck by me and Leon is the newest addition to that little circle. I killed the Novistador that barged out of a cell to avenge its...uh...friend. Another alien-like hum, which meant more were still around. I headed east and a Novistador managed to ambush me. It dropped down from the ceiling and slammed onto my back. I quickly unsheathed my knife as I hit the floor with a pained grunt. But even then... I still have mistrust on people and sometimes lie to my friends to protect myself. Which is still cold to do to them... Hell, I lied to Leon from the get go of this adventure and I've sort of stabbed him in the back for learning how to shoot, which went against his wishes.

_**When lies turn into truth,  
I sacrifice for you.  
You say that I am frozen  
But what can I do?**_

_I'm sorry to do this to you Leon, but it was the only thing I could think of to save you. I'll sacrifice all that I have to get you back safely. Even if has to be my innocence, I'll sacrifice it to make sure you're alright. I'll do all I can to help you...Will you look at me and think that I've turned cold... think that my heart is forever frozen?_

The Novistador shrieked in victory and bit down on my shoulder. I screamed out in pain and anger as the bug tighten its jaw. I twisted around, ignoring the searing pain on my shoulder and stabbed the knife to the side of its head. (_Five points!) _I thought and my innocence bought it. The bug shrieked and leaped off, scrabbling at the knife to get it off. I dropped the Blacktail in favor for the TMP. I pressed the machine gun to the bug's back as the creature managed to slap the knife off. I pulled the trigger and held it there as the bullets pumped themselves into the Novistador's body. It jerked to the rapid fire before it crumpled and fell to the floor, dead. I glared at it as I put the TMP away, retrieved the Blacktail and my knife as well as scooping up the Blue Eye. (_Ten points!)_

_Goddamn Novistadors._

I clamped one hand on the wound while the other held the Blacktail and I walked back to the main prison cell area. I kicked down the cell doors and sat on the wooden board that served as the bed for prisoners. I popped open the agent's attache case and picked up a vial of mixed herbs. I then removed my shirt to heal the wound. I took a breath and sprinkled the powdered mix onto it. I dropped the vial back in the case just as the fizzing began. I gripped the board and gritted my teeth at the pain until the burning and stinging stopped.

Suddenly, an image of Leon popped into my mind's eye. He wore a hurt expression when I rescued him and that brought a dull ache within me.

_**I can feel your sorrow...  
**_

He turned away from me with a look of betrayal and anger in his eyes. The ache intensified.

_**(I sacrifice)  
You won't forgive me...  
(I feel the emptiness inside...)**_

I smiled a little at the image. He could glare and yell at me all he wants but I'll just be glad that he's okay to do it.

_**But I know you'll be alright.  
(I feel the emptiness inside...)**_

I'll be happy no matter what he does... but he can never know what I've been through or what I've done to get to him. I sighed sadly, it hurts me to not tell him about all this... my own rescue adventure. But it has to be done.

_**It tears me apart that you will never know  
But I have to let go.  
**_

I put my shirt back on, kicked down cell doors and inspected all the rooms that I could get into. I picked up a stack of papers and read the title. Luis' Memo. I leafed through a few and whistled. Ten pages long... now that's a lot of information. I tucked it into the Leon's case and grabbed whatever ammo there was in the area. I looked at the pool of water and saw that there was another door beneath the surface. I can only assume that it's the way out of this prison.

I glared at it. _There's gotta be a way to drain the water._ I rubbed my shoulder and tapped my boot as I thought back to what the player's guide said about this area. _It said something about there being a control room around here somewhere. And that control room has the drainage control to get rid of all that damn water and let me through._ _(Mission: Get to the Conrtol Room!) Man, maintaining a happy innocence sucks..._

I sighed.

Backtracking...

I really hate backtracking.

I looked to my left and saw an open window. A window that showed the control room and drainage system. I smiled a little. At least, I don't have to backtrack too far but how am I going to get over there? I thought it over.

"I guess I can go see where that messed up passage leads to." I wondered aloud and began to backtrack to the east passage. I scowled at the hallway. Stupid Novistadors... "If another Novistador drops **on** me, I'm going to shove to the Riot-Gun in its mouth and pull the trigger!" I hissed dangerously and flinched at my own words. Leon wasn't kidding when gunfighting can change people... I've just begun my quest and already I'm losing myself. This sucks.

_**Tell me I'm frozen  
But what can I do?  
Can't tell the reasons  
I did it for you.**_

I navigated through the cells and passage warily, scoping out each room with the rifle just in case one of the cursed bugs decided to drop in. I didn't see any and eventually made it to the control room... And got the scare of my life. As soon as I touched the door, a hidden Novistador kicked it open, causing it to smack into me at full force. I stumbled back from the hit and it leaped at me with a wild shriek. It jumped up, grabbed my wrists, hover in place and threw its head back. It began to make a disgusting gurgling noise and its chest heaved. I recognized it instantly and struggled against it wildly. It's going to puke acid at me!

_Don't panic! Don't panic! Think! What would Leon do?!_ I tried to imagine what the agent would as the monster bug continue to heave. In the game, Leon couldn't do shit until it puked its acid then be able to throw it off. He'll take damage and that's it. But this isn't game and acid burns tend to hurt like hell and not to mention have a chance of killing you on the spot. I have to think like Leon and do it quickly, it sounds as though the Novistador was nearing the end of coughing up enough acid to melt my face off.

I've got it! Grinning, I threw myself backwards and snapped my leg upwards, giving the bug a solid kick in the chest. The kick surprised and hurt the bug enough for it to release me. I rolled away just in time to miss it spew its collected acid at the spot I was at a second ago. I rolled up to my feet, spun around and fired the Riot-Gun at the back of its skull. And got a warning twinge of guilt. My innocence was starting to notice something was up. _(Misson: Drain the water!) Lying to your own innocence...sucks._

_**When lies turn into truth  
I sacrifice for you  
You say that I am frozen  
But what can I do?**_

The headless corpse toppled over and spasmed on the floor for a seconds before going still. I holstered the shotgun back in its hold on my back. I checked myself over for injuries and noticed that the Punisher was missing. I glanced at the water and stomped my foot in frustration. The Novistador's acid had damaged the gun and melted part of the barrel.

_GODDAMNIT! That's Leon's gun!! Great, just fucking great! Another thing I can't tell Leon! Damn you Novistadors! Now I need to buy Leon a new one before I rescue him! Damnit! _

_**Everything will slip away,  
Shattered pieces will remain,**_

I picked up the damaged gun and inspected it. It was pretty badly damaged but it seemed repairable. I ejected the clip and placed the damaged Punisher into my attache case. I glared at the dead bug hatefully, wanting it to rise so I could rip it apart with my bare hands. I snatched up another Red Eye, turned away from the body and entered the control room. I collected the Green herb, shotgun shells and a Butterfly Lamp. I popped the trio of gems onto it and packed it away. I turned at saw the red handle and inspected it. I scraped aside the growing mold and just barely made out the words. I grinned.

"So this is drainage valve." I murmured and gripped the handle. I twisted it a few times and heard the satisfying sound of water being drained. I looked out the window and saw that the pool was now empty...well, mostly. Great! The way out here is clear and now I just need to go back to the main room. _(Mission: Get to the pool door!) _A shiver went up my spine and I froze, blinking rapidly...then scowled. I just know the way back is going to be a pain in the ass now.

_Damn Novistadors..._

I switched to the Semi-Auto and gently pushed the door open. I stood in the doorway and peered through the scope. Clinging to the ceiling and sitting there like a bump on a log, was another invisible Novistador. I lined up the sight and pulled the trigger, hitting it it the mouth. It dropped to the floor in pain and anger as it flailed on the floor. It flipped to its feet and charged at me in rage. I pulled the trigger of the rifle once more and caught it in the throat. It flailed again as blood squirted from its neck, then fell to the wet stone floor and died. _(Fifteen points!)_ I snatched up the Green Eye... and got kicked from the side. I flew to one side and slammed against the south wall, my head hitting the stone. I blacked out for a second.

_**When memories fade into emptiness...**_

I came around quickly and in time to see the Novistador that kicked me, stand over me and seemingly grinned. I snarled angrily and kicked it back. It staggered back, I swept its feet from underneath it, tripping it over, brought out the TMP, jammed it to its chest and held down the trigger. Another painful ache pulsed through me as the bug shook violently from the gunfire. _(Ten...ten points...)_ I winced as I grabbed the Blue Eye. This wasn't good... my innocence is taking notice and is beginning to reject the game idea and I'm still just in prison area. Will I still be me after this is over or will I change forever like Leon feared?

_**Only time will tell its tale  
If it all has been in vain...**_

I shook off the thought. It doesn't matter if I get to him with a missing arm... I said, I'll sacrifice all I have to save him and that includes my freaking limbs! I'll snap my leg in half to get him back safely if I have too! I ran from the room and killed another waiting Novistador. My heart started feel cold after that. _Damnit! The distracting idea is starting to lose its effectiveness! My heart is fine (thanks to the song), turning cold.. scary.. but I can deal with that but my innocence is getting pissed. It'll kill Leon if I lose my innocence and he'll blame himself for it!_

I sighed. I wish I didn't have to do this but I don't think I can divide my concentration in two or three different ways! I had no choice but to seal my innocence away and freeze it there. I'll still be me but just a little colder but if keeps my innocence from dying then I welcome it! I concentrated in sealing my innocence and felt a slight discomfort... like someone reached into me and stole a bit of myself and the cold feeling was getting stronger.

**  
**_**I can't feel my senses...  
I just feel the cold...**_

Well, let's see it worked. I ran into the main area and shot the first Novistador that jumped me. No twinge of guilt. Good to know... because I've still got a long way to go.

_**Frozen..!**_

I fired on another one. _I'm sorry, Leon that I have to do this but it's for the best. I'm sorry to disobey you but I couldn't just sit there and do nothing to help you. You may think I'm cold to do this to you but damnit I __**will**__ rescue you!_

_**But what can I do?**_

I sniped another one and a sad smile spread across my face. I still hope to still be myself after this is over...for Leon's sake.

_**Frozen..!**_

I switched to the Riot-Gun, leaped over the ledge and kicked open the bar door and another Novistador dropped down from behind me. I whirled around and fired the buck shot.

"That's for getting Leon in that trap to begin with!" I yelled at the bug as it staggered back from the shot. I pumped the shotgun and fired another round, hitting it square in the face. It fell and I collected the gem.

_**Tell me I'm frozen  
But what can I do?**_

Another two Novistadors dropped in and blocked my path. I scowled at the two. "Get the hell out of my way!" I snapped and blasted them with the Riot-Gun. One of them leaped away and the other died from the lucky shot to the head.

_**  
Can't tell the reasons**_

The one that escaped leaped at me in hopes of knocking me over. I sidestepped it and jammed the knife to the back of its head. It shrieked in pain and convulsed on the watery floor.

_**I did it for you!**_

I glared at it as one of my favorite quotes bloomed in my mind and made me smile._ Remember, it's a Novistador. It's evil. It had it coming. _

I ripped the knife away from the bug and shook it clean. I raced up the steps, broke the two barrels, grabbing whatever was there and headed for the door out of here.

_Thrum!_

_Thrum!_

_Thrum!_

_Thrum!_

I ran into the room and looked around. I spotted my next obstacle and groaned loudly. The bladed pendulum room. I _**hate**_ this room! But there's no other way out of here. I walked down the steps and stood before the first swinging blade._ One...two..._

_**When lies turn into truth... **_

_Three!_ I dashed forward and passed by the swinging blade. I smiled and stood before the second one. _Great... it's the one with the ledge..._ Okay just two more to go! _One...two..._

_**I sacrifice for you!**_

_Three!_ I leaped passed the second one and landed safely on the other side. _One more to go... and it's the tricky one. Ooh, double blades... Calm down... you can do this! You're doing this for Leon! Okay... One...two..._

_**You say that I am frozen!**_

_Three!_ I raced forward, right between the two blades and skidded to stop. Yes! I did it! I collected the Velvet Blue and walked through the door. I climbed the ladder and shattered the barrels for cash and a Spinel. I collected them and headed for the door. I paused and smiled.

_"Fro...zen..!" _I sang the last line of the song softly, completeing it then pushed open the door and left the sewer and prison area...

_--------------------------------------------------------_

Whoo! This chappy's done!

(reads through it) This is the rewritten one...because the first version..._SUCKED! _It's better than the first one but I still think it may need some work and I'll rewrite it again. At least the sewer/prison half of the chapter. That's the iffy one. But tell me what you think and what you thought I should have done to this chapter. I don't mind..really I don't. I want your honest opinion about this iffy chapter. You can either tell me on the review or send me a message. And I stress this. I want to hear from you guys, maybe get some idea so I can fix this chappy. I think its a bit um...dull or crappy for my taste... maybe I'm having an off day?

For those who want to know just how bad the first version was... send me a message or email me to request the chapter. I'll email it to you and you can see for yourself just how terrible the chapter was written...if you dare to read it.

Chat with ya later!

PS.

Do any of you know the Jonas Brothers? Whether you do or don't get the Little Mermaid 2-Disc Special Edition soundtrack or the DVD itself or look for the song online. Play the track that has _Poor Unfortunate Souls_ by the Jonas Brothers. Now the reason why I ask you to do this is because of this. Listen to the song several times, memorize the lyrics, now imagine the scene from RE4 where Ashley gets taken from Leon by Saddler himself, okay? Or play the file that has the that scene. Great! Now what if Ashley had to choose whether to let the Plagas control her and go with Saddler or refuse and have Leon die by Saddler's power and get taken away anyway?

Here's some help (a jucy tidbit of what's to come later in the fic. Mind you this will change.)

_Leon writhed on the floor in pain as Saddler focused his power on the agent's body. I stared at the scene in shock, I've seen this scene many times in the game but actually __**seeing**__ it happening to Leon it was horrifying!_

_Saddler: Now, Rally. Come to me._

_Rally: No! And stop whatever you're doing to Leon!_

_Saddler: Go ahead and make you're choice! Come with me and allow the agent to live or stay where you are and let him die!_

_Rally: (looks at Leon on the floor and tries to choose) ..._

_Saddler: I'm a very busy person and I don't have all day. (focuses some more and Leon screams some more) It won't cost much ...just your freedom. _

_Rally: (looks at Leon) ...I...I_

_Leon: (gasping and growling in pain) D...don't! H-he's...ly...lying...t-to...you..!_

_Saddler: (Focuses and Leon screams again) I promise I won't harm the agent but you must promise me your cooperation..._

_Leon continues to writher in pain. Rally lowers her eyes_

_Rally: ...Leon...I'm sorry..._

That's all you get! But this is just a rough draft and didn't sound good to me so I'll be changing it! I got this idea while listening to the Jonas Brothers sing _Poor Unfortunate Souls_. I think the song fits here...what do you think?


	15. Deadly Art Gallery

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _done by Nickleback and _Hero _is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry! Oh, and I've figured that I'll adding _Holding Out For A Hero _by Bonnie Tyler to the chapter where **I **get captured by the Novistador but I've just can't figure out how to do it. The reason why I placed all the songs you've read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I usually think of songs and sing them in my head when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

Final Note: About 60 reviews? Ooh yeah, baby! I would love to thank all my readers for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic! This is actually the first fic I've written that I believe will actually finish! Cool! I've written a lot of fics but nearly all of them are no where near finished.. or have a clear ending.

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (mafia Leon goes into a carefree stance and flicks his hat up a bit) _"Enemies first."_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Fourteen: Deadly Art Gallery

_"Morir es vivir...Morir es vivir...Morir es vivir..."_

I twitched in annoyance to the chant as I walked through the door from the sewers. I scowled at where I was, back at square one. Okay, just what the hell was that all about? I had to go _underground_ to come _up the second floor?_ Whoever designed this place... needs to be shot...now. And since Salazar's greatest grand dad ain't alive for me to shoot, then the one who suffers will be little Salazar himself. The arrogant prick.

I pushed the thought aside as I stepped quietly into the Observation Hall's second floor. I adjusted the leg holsters so that I could crawl around on my stomach and over look whatever ritual the monks were doing. I laid down on my belly and crawled in time, mind you, with their chants so they couldn't hear me. I peeked over the ledge and watched their vile ritual. I counted them all and noticed that there were more than there should be... oh well, more treasure to sell!

About fourteen Illuminados were gathered in a loose semi-circle around a red-robed monk, who held his hands up in prayer while his head was bowed. The others were in a half bow and were still repeating the same chant. The focal point of this revolting ritual was a slab of fresh meat from whatever poor thing was sacrificed for this. Sticking out of the meat was (stressing the word _was_) a well polished sword with the Los Illuminados insignia carved into it. My guess would that it's their holy hunk of flesh was laid out on a small marble table that was draped in a white satin cloth that the blood seeped into. _Good luck on getting rid of that stain._ Twin torches flank the table and bask the sacrifice in a faint fiery gold and it made all the more disgusting. _Sick._

I stood slowly and edged back toward the door, timing my movements with their chanting. I walked toward the ladder and climbed down, timing my movements once again with their chants so that they didn't hear my soft steps. Once at the bottom, I hid behind the pillar closest to the ladder and grabbed a flash grenade. I was about to throw it when their chanting changed. I froze and listened closely. It wasn't their crazy chant that they say if they spot you and try to kill you but it was another chant...something I didn't like. Most what they're saying was either too low or too fast for me to translate but I did hear a few words.

_Let's see...I heard my name...Salazar's...and I think...ma-...OH..._

_"HELL NO! THERE'S __**NO FUCKING WAY**__ THAT I'LL GO ALONG WITH THAT!" _I raged as I raced out of my hiding place and chucked the flash grenade into the crowd, giving them no chance to react. They shrieked in pain from the flash and I whipped out the TMP and mowed them down in short bursts. The cultists fell under the assault and only the red robed monk remained...or at least its Plaga was left. I stalked toward it with the Riot-Gun in hand.

The Plaga opened its giant maw, arched back and rushed forward in an attempt to bite my head off. I stood still and when it was within range, I held up the Riot-gun and blasted it at point blank range. The creature screeched as it exploded into chunks of gory mess. I collected the fallen items, walked over to the altar and kicked it over in disgust. But I did take the sword and wiped the blood off on one of the monks. I headed over to the merchant blinked at me in surprise.

"Aye, lass. What's the matter?" he asked as I bought two new First Aid Sprays. I shifted in both anger and embarrassment as I reached for the Butterfly Lamp to sell.

"I'm pissed...about some things I rather not say." I muttered darkly as I took the money and held out the damaged Punisher. "Hey, can you fix this?"

The merchant lifted a brow at my answer as he took the gun and inspected, his eyes widening in shock. " 'ey, lass! What happened to it?"

I scowled. "A Novistador spat some acid at me. I was able dodge it but the gun took the hit." I answered, "Is it repairable?"

"Aye, it is but it'll take some time." the merchant said slowly, tucking the damaged weapon into his robe.

I sighed and told him to repair it anyway. I returned to the ladder and climbed it, went to the open portion of the balcony and leaped onto the chandelier. It swung slowly and I rocked it back and forth, using my weight to swing it. When it was close, I leaped onto the second balcony with some difficulty. I had almost missed the jump! Broken legs...hmm...not good to have. I grabbed whatever was there, flipped the switch and headed for the second chandelier, jumping onto it. I smiled. It was fun! No wonder Leon likes to swing on these! Robin Hood style of escaping enemies! The jump to the balcony was a little easier and I grabbed the Elegant Mask..with the Green Gem already in it? Hey, less work for me and Leon to do!

I took it, stuffed it into the attache case and jumped onto the chandelier once more. What? I like swinging on those, okay? I swung across and landed very well on the other balcony. The merchant saw how I was goofing off for a bit and sighed. He hailed me over and brought out another handgun. It looked rather familiar.

"Lass, until I get the Punisher back in proper workin' order, it be best if yeh take this with ya." The merchant handed it to me and I took it, looking confused. "That be the stranger's first handgun that yeh told him to sell to me before."

"Leon's government issued handgun?"

"Aye. It still has all the upgrades he bought for it."

"Thank you. I just know it'll come in handy sooner or later." I holstered the handgun and took out the polished sword that I had taken from the monks earlier and considered to sell it. Hmm...selling a priceless family heirloom to get money to survive... That sounds like someone only deals in the blackmarket and I don't like stealing from a good family. But to get that Chicago Typewriter, we're going to need all the money we can get. But this is an artifact from a long line of a noble and proud family, on the other hand, Salazar's ancestors would probably give Leon their entire fortune to stop the crazed little Salazar. Okay, in honor of the Salazar family that Ramon Salazar had foolishly stained, I'll sell this thing!

"Merchant, how much do you think this sword is worth?" I asked as I held up the blade on my palms. I could _see_ the glow of happiness in the merchant's eyes at the very sight of the beautiful blade.

"Ah...I'll be buyin' it at a high price..." he murmured, still staring at the sword like it was gift from God.

I grinned, "Really? How much...?"

(A/N: Yes, I know. You can't get that sword but for the sake of the fic and a funny encounter on the next chapter, I did. Okay?)

I stepped through the red metal door, happy at the sale and the sack of money stuffed into Leon's attache case. Would he be surprised? I could see it now...(cue happy mood music) Leon's eyes will be huge and watery and he'll continuously thank me for it... and stare at me like I'm some money goddess and keep me like some lucky charm... (_insert someone scratching a record badly_) Okay, now that was just creepy and wrong! Leon's isn't the type of guy that runs around and collects woman like dolls. Those are the kinds of guys I would love to introduce to the Chicago Typewriter.

I looked cautiously around the room I was in. It was fairly small and the only thing of interest in it was the Red Herb sitting on a end table. I took it, ground it into powder and dumped in a vial of Green and Yellow herbs. Another Mixed herbs! I headed up the steps into another fairly small room. It had a nice fireplace, paintings of regal people (the Salazar family, I believe) and a round oak table in the middle. I walked up to it, keeping an eye about the door ahead and picked the note left lying there and read it.

I scanned through it quickly and rolled my eyes at it. How could Salazar do this? How could he break a seal that his greatest grandfather done to keep the Las Plagas from surfacing. The Salazar family were the sole family to save the world from this threat and he just _**has**_ to fuck up their job. I stuffed the file into Leon's attache case so he could read it later on and grabbed a box of handgun ammo. I looked around the room fo anything else useful, checked the clip of my Blacktail and proceeded to the door.

_"__Alli esta! Matalooo!"_

I snapped my head up in surprise and ducked as flaming arrows flew past me. _Holy shit!_ Standing at the far end of the room, on a balcony was the red cultist that spotted me. He scurried over to a room and hid there as the two other monks fired another round of arrows at me. Damn wuss. I sniped the two monks and kept my eye out for the red wussy one. _He should be coming out right about now. At least he should if he wants to get to the Gatling Gun._ I switched to the Blacktail and edged out of the door...

_TWANG!_

A flaming arrow whistled past me and grazed my left arm. I yelped out in pain and looked ahead, hiding among the vases was another cultist with a crossbow. I growled in pain and anger, raising the handgun and firing off a round. The crossbowman sidestepped and hid behind the vase, thinking that it would protect him. _In your dreams, asswipe!_ I fired again and vase exploded into a hundred pieces...along with the zealot's head. _Jackass._ I backed up a few steps to the left and looked at the door connecting the room the red monk fled into to the second floor.

It was sealed shut.

I scowled at it. _Great. Just fucking great. _I was hoping to avoid the 'chase-the-red-monk-around-the-room' game but it seemed I had no choice but to play it. I kept left as I made my way to the door that led to the second floor, when another two zealots tried to surprise me. I backed as far away as possible and shot the red barrel nearby.

_**BOOM!**_

I cringed at the explosion as the Illuminados flew through the air and crashed into a few vases, shattering them all over the floor. I grinned as I picked up the items. Hey, less work for me! I opened the door that led up stairs and carefully stepped into the room. There were two wooden barrels to smash but better yet a lone zealot at the top of the steps. I grinned. He didn't see me, but I could see him. I equipped the rifle, laid down on the floor, aimed upward...

_BLAM!_

The headless Illuminado collapsed and fell down the steps, coming to a stop at the bottom. I smashed open the barrels, collected their wares then picked up the box of rifle ammo from the body and proceeded up the steps. I pushed open the door and stepped out on the second of the room. I looked around cautiously, knowing fully well that the game can change anything, I edged around the left side of the door and picked up a box of rifle ammo. After reloading the rifle, I looked through the scope and spied two more monks near the door that led out of this gallery. I smiled and aimed for the monk that didn't have a metal helmet.

_BLAM!_

The cultist collapsed with a bullet to the heart. The masked zealot took notice of its fellow monk's death and made a run for the door where the red Illuminado was hiding in. Wuss. Seeing nothing else that could harm me, I hurried around the balcony and stood before the sealed door, scowling at it. This was going to be tricky. The only way to open the damn door was to jump down to the balcony below me and at that time this will open and the red monk will make a break for it. And I have to deal with the zealot that's hiding in there with it as well, therefore lowering my chances of killing the red pansy before he reaches the door on the second floor.

_This sucks. The game's testing my reflexes...and my patience. Damn you Salazar and your fucking redecorating!_ I sighed, gripped the Semi-Auto and leaped over the ledge. As soon as I touched the floor, the sealed door flew open and the red pansy-assed monk ran down the balcony. I whirled around and tracked him with the rifle, trying to keep him in my sights. As the monk paused to catch his breath, I fired off a shot, aiming for his head... and he ducked it!

"Damnit! Hold still, you fucking wuss!" I yelled angrily and aimed the rifle toward the spot where he'll run into to get to the door. I was about to pull the trigger and kill the red monk when I was grabbed from behind, cold hands grasping my neck. I was so focused on killing him that I forgot about the one that was hiding with him in the room. I gasped out in surprise and pulled the trigger, the shot going wide and missing my target. I growled in frustration as the red monk disappeared into the door and the fact that I forgot about the other one.

"Aw, shit! Look at what you made me do, you arrogant fuck! You made me miss!" I snarled, grabbing my survival knife, twirled in my hand and shoved the blade into the monk's gut. It released me with a ragged cry of pain as I whirled around while grabbing the Blacktail and jammed the barrel of the gun into the eye-hole of the mask. I grinned at him and fired. I picked up the ammo he dropped and ran through the door to get back to the second floor. Ignoring the money but grabbing the shotgun shells, I hurried out of the room and raced around the second floor balcony.

I got to the door and kicked it open.

_"Alli esta!"_

_WHAM!_

I flew back from the door after the shield wielding cultist slammed into me with its damn wooden shield. I groaned in pain as I sat up and glared at the idiot that rammed me. The red cultist was watching the scene as Mr. Wonder Shield advanced slowly. _At least I didn't get smacked by the fucker's mace...ow..._ I thought bitterly as I switched to the Riot-gun and fired at the shield. It blew a hole in the top half, revealing the zealot's face. I switched to the Semi-Auto, grinned as I looked through the scope and fired. The zealot's leering smile shattered into pieces as his face blew apart in a shower of blood and gore.

I grinned at the red monk, who seemed to pale at the scene. "And you're next, asshole!"

The red cultist whirled around and hurried down the steps to get away. I chased after him with the Blacktail in hand and ran down the steps, taking two at time. I squeezed the trigger, firing the back of the monk's head and the shot went wide. The cultist jumped in fear and ran faster. He took a sharp turn and I fired again, hitting him in the shoulder but the shot didn't kill him. _Damnit!_ I closed in on the red cultist as he fumbled with the doorknob, trying to get it open. I grinned. _Gotcha, ya dumbshit!_ I raised the Blacktail, aimed... and tripped over the dead cultist that was still there at the bottom steps. I hit the floor and pulled the trigger, the round hitting the wall next to the red monk's head. He seemingly smiled as he got the door open and escaped.

"Goddamnit!" I looked at the dead cultist in rage, "Even in death you jackasses are a pain in the ass!"

I scrambled to my feet and kicked the door open and stared at the barrel of a gatling gun. I stood there, frozen in shock as the red cultist leered at me from behind the weapon. _Oooh, not good!_

_Whirrr...!_

"Ahhh!" I screamed out as I dove for cover back in the room.

_**Tattatttattattattattat!**_

Hundreds of bullets ripped into the walls and door as I curled on the floor, trying to make myself as small as possible. Pieces of stone, plaster and wood flew everywhere and rained around me as I shrieked out in terror, too scared to move. The gatling gun stopped and I lifted my head, blinking at the mess around me. _Holy shit..._ I scanned the room with wide eyes, awed by the pure power of the Gatling gun. The room I was currently in looked as though all hell broke lose.

_Whirrr...!_

I snapped my head to the red monk, who revved up the gun again, and I freaked. I leaped up to my feet and sped for the steps, leaping over the dead monk.

_**Tattatttattattattattat!**_

The hail of rounds tore through the walls, ripped the dead monk apart, and chased me up the steps. I threw myself to the floor and huddled there, far from the wall when I reached the top room. More wood, stone and plaster rained on me as I tried to suppress a scream. _What the hell was I thinking? I can't do this! Leon has the training and experience to get through this! I'm just a twenty-year-old woman that loves playing games! I've trained to use guns by the guidance of the merchant but only having two hours of gun training doesn't qualify as being an expert! Leon had __**years**__ of training...I only had __**hours**__! I'm gonna fucking die!_

Silence...

I lifted my head in hopes that the monk ran out of ammo.

_Whirrr...!_

I ducked back down. _How much fucking ammo does this asshole have?_

_**Tattatttattattattattat!**_

_I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die! I'm gonna freaking die! _A mental picture of Leon being held captive in the trap bloomed within my mind's eye. _Leon._

* * *

(A/N: Ooh! A possible out come!)

_Leon stared out into space, his mouth wide in horror. He had a look of sorrow on his face, his once bright blue eyes now dull with anguish as little Salazar informed him that I was killed trying to rescue him. Salazar taunting that it was Leon's fault for falling for the trap, his fault for forcing me to go through all the horrors by myself to rescue him. _

_"It's all your fault, Mr. Kennedy." Salazar laughed, "She went through all that trouble only to fail you!"_

_"No..." Tears formed in the agent's eyes._

_The little midget laughed some more. "It serves her right! Her smart-mouth attitude is what got her killed! Even her will to save you killed her. How does it feel to lose someone that close to you?"_

_"I told her not to try..."_

_"But she didn't take heed to your words... How does that make you feel?"_

_"Betrayed..."_

_Salazar grinned. "Ah! And what will you do about it? The feel of loss and betrayal? She died trying to return to you so the both of you could go home to America! A country that will only write it off as a failed mission. The government that wouldn't have lifted a finger to help if she tried to call for help. What do you want for that?"_

_The agent's eyes flickered from sadness to anger, his voice turning into an enraged hiss. "Revenge."_

_Salazar grinned, "Is that right? Prove to us what type of revenge you're seeking."_

_Leon bowed his head for a second, then lifted it showing them what kind he wanted. His blues eyes flashed to red as he allowed the Plaga overtake him and he hissed. "Tell Saddler that __**I**__ will spread the religion around the world for him. I'll make the world __**pay**__ for this."_

_Salazar smiled evilly, "Good."_

* * *

_"NO!"_ I screamed angrily, glaring at the door to the second floor. _I won't let Leon down! I'm not going to run from this! I won't die and let Leon snap from sorrow!_

I stood up after the Gatling gun paused.

(A/N: _Stand My Ground_ by Within Temptation)

_**I just know there's no escape  
now once it sets it's eyes on you  
but I won't run, have to stare it in the eye**_

_**Stand my ground, I won't give in  
no more denying, I got to face it  
won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside  
if I don't make it, someone else will  
stand my ground **_

_Whirr...!_

I raced out of the room as the red cultist revved the gun again. _I don't care if you had the Rail Gun firing at me! I __**won't**__ let Leon down!_

_**Tattatttattattattattat!**_

I continued to run, ignoring the stream of bullets tailing me. Paintings, wood, plaster, and marble flew about crazily like confetti in a wedding ceremony. I sped up as the deadly stream neared me and dove behind a pillar. The hail of rounds clawed the pillar as they tried to bore through the thick marble. A bullet pierced through and shot out of my right side. I cried out in pain and pressed a hand on the wound but ignored it. _I have to get to that safe room!_

_**It's all around  
getting stronger, coming closer  
into my world**_

**_I can feel_**  
**_that it's time for me to face it_**  
**_can I take it?_**

**_Though this might just be the ending_**  
**_of the life I held so dear_**  
**_but I won't run, there's no turning back from here_**

_Whirr...!_

I raced out from the shadows of the pillar and headed for the open door.

_**Tattatttattattattattat!**_

Bullets whistled and shrilled behind as the roar of the gatling gun hungered for my death. Suddenly the monk tried to outsmart me by moving the stream of deadly rain below me and bringing it back up ahead of me. My eyes widen but went back to focusing on the door. The red cultist swung the gun toward me and at the last minute I slid beneath the bullet stream and skidded to a stop in front of the open doorway. I raced in before the zealot had a chance to swing back.

_**Stand my ground, I won't give in  
no more denying, I got to face it  
won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside  
if I don't make it, someone else will  
stand my ground **_

I raced down the steps and collapsed on the floor, allowing my body the time to regain some strength. I removed my hand and looked at the wound. A good amount of blood had seeped between my fingers and left a small trail behind. At least it went clean right through me. I hissed in pain and listened to the cultist trying to burrow a hole through the wall, unfortunately for him this wall was made to with stand a ton of attacks.

_**All I know for sure is I'm trying  
I will always stand my ground **_

I sighed from the pain and tried to come up with a plan to kill the zealot without being riddled with bullets._ Okay, I'm in the safe room..now what? Well, let's see... I need to find a way to kill the pansy and not die. I can try to snipe him while he's pausing between shots... No, can't do that. It'll take me at least ten seconds to line up a shot and the cultist needs only two seconds to fire that gun of his._

I scowled. "This sucks." I muttered bitterly, glaring at the floor. I shook my head, I have to come up with something better, Leon's waiting for me. And who knows how long before Leon snaps from being alone too long, worrying over me?

_**Stand my ground, I won't give in (I won't give in)  
I won't give up (I won't give up)  
no more denying, I got to face it  
won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside  
if I don't make it, someone else will**_

___Whirr...!_

_**Tattatttattattattattat!**_

_Will you knock it off? I'm not coming out of this room until I know a way to kill you!_ I frowned as the zealot tried once more to dig a hole into the wall. I thought for a second then smiled as an idea hit me. What if I fake him out? He'll end up firing the opposite place of where I'll shoot! Sweet!

_**Stand my ground, I won't give in**_

I stood with the rifle in hand and a grenade in the other, pain sparked at my movement but I ignored it. I'll heal it when I'm done killing the jerk.

_**no more denying, I got to face it  
won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside **_

A zealot ran in from the door that led to the sick gallery and grinned evilly at me. I scowled at it, raising the rifle to shoot him but my idea reformed itself. I mirrored the evil smile.

_**if I don't make it, someone else will**_

_Whirr...!_

The zealot flew out of the room...

_**Tattatttattattattattat!**_

The cultist's body danced in the air from the rapid fire as he screamed in pain while parts of his flesh were torn off. I scampered up the steps and lined up my sight, grinning all the while.

"Hey! Up here, you dipshit!" I yelled out, my smirk never leaving.

The gatling gun paused, its ammo spent at the moment. The red monk turned it anyway, ready to blow me away at any second. I was still grinning away.

"Peek-a-boo! I see you!" I taunted, zooming in on the monk's mask.

_Whirr...!_

_BLAM! _

_**stand my ground **_

I smiled as the cultist's body toppled over, dropping the key to getting the hell out of here. I went back, collected the ammo the other cultist dropped, grabbed all the money that was stashed in the safe room and leaped over the ledge. I landed a little roughly, sending streaks of pain through me but I endured it and grabbed the Gallery Key. _All this to protect a key...paranoid pansies._ I went back up to the second floor and stood before the locked door.

I unlocked it and stepped through, coming into a small room with vases and a stuffed deer head. A lone light shone on four paintings hanging on the north wall. I collected the items here and stood before the little altar and read the writing.

_"__The sacrifice of six lives shall make way the true path."_ I read out loud and rolled my eyes. Yeah, Salazar's a paranoid pansy but oh well, if he wants to be then fine whatever. The four paintings held pictures of several people dying in different ways. One having his head chopped off, two hanging and three...well I don't what they were doing but it was disgusting.

"Salazar...you are one **sick** ass bastard." I muttered bitterly.

I flicked the switches around, experimenting what showed what then quickly rearranged the paintings so that it showed six deaths. _Sick._ I pressed a button and the north wall slid aside a little to reveal a door to the next enemy filled area.

* * *

"Whoopie-doo. I get to meet up with Salazar again..." I froze. _Oh, shit...not good! He thinks that Leon's still with me! Argh! NO! Now he'll try every way possible to get me now! _I blinked at something else that came to mind. I smiled. He can try to do that but I'll show him that Leon isn't the only one that can kick ass! Whoo hoo! More insults to throw at the little midget! YAY!

there's your chappy, enjoy and drop me a review or a line, thank you!

I'm gonna have to lay off on the songs from now on...but don't worry, I'll still use them..just limitedly, okay?

Thank you readers! Now keep them reviews coming! Love you all!

Chat with ya later!

Pikpixie03


	16. Gallery Shootout!

Disclaimer: I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _done by Nickleback and _Hero_is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry! Oh, and I've figured that I'll adding _Holding Out For A Hero_ by Bonnie Tyler to the chapter where **I **get captured by the Novistador but I've just can't figure out how to do it. The reason why I placed all the songs you've read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I usually think of songs and sing them in my head when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

**Final Note:** 65 reviews? Ooh yeah, baby! I would love to thank all my readers for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic! This is actually the first fic I've written that I believe will actually finish! Cool! I've written a lot of fics but nearly all of them are no where near finished.. or have a clear ending.

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (mafia Leon grins) _"Sorry, but following a lady's lead just isn't my style."_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Fifteen: Gallery and Insult Shootout!

-Portrait Puzzle Room

After solving the disturbing puzzle, I sat down for a bit to rest. I took out a First Aid Spray and lifted my shirt to heal the bullet wound I received from the red monk. The wound was still dripping blood and the suppressed pain finally hit me back twice as hard. I hissed angrily and sprayed it, gripping the carpet as it fizzled. Oooh, why does healing it hurt so much? I sprayed the the rest of my injuries with what was left over of the spray. I sat there as I considered my options for the battle ahead. The shootout is going to be tricky with a bunch of cultists after me at the same time or if the game decides to be "creative" and add something else in there. I hope for a normal shootout.

I reloaded the weapons, making sure I had enough ammo to see me through the fight, and pulled out both the Blacktail and Handgun. I silently opened the door a crack and peeked through. The room looked empty but I knew Salazar was waiting for Leon to step through then taunt the guy, but there was something different about it though. I scanned the room with my eyes but didn't see anything out of the ordinary..wait...the balcony. The balcony that Salazar was supposed to be at...it was a little higher than it was in the game and if that's so, he can't see who steps through the door because of the balcony above me.

I grinned, an idea popping into my head. Well, I can let Salazar think Leon's the one coming through then surprise him for a few insults. I dunno why, but making fun of the Spanish midget was always fun to do...too bad Leon ain't here to hear them. Oh, well I can tell him all about it later!

I pushed the door open a little more forcefully, so that Salazar would come out and I stepped through...

* * *

-Gallery Area 2

_"__Hee-hee-ha-ha-ha-ha!"_

I scowled as I walked slowly into the room. Okay, that's the first thing that should go... when Leon gets to the tower to kill the bastard, I hope he buys the Rocket Launcher and aim for the mouth. That laugh...is driving me _nuts!_ How does Saddler put up with that squeaky toy laugh? What's Saddler's secret to tuning out that ridiculous squeaky hyena laugh? ...I _must_ know...

I stopped short beneath the balcony above, only allowing my legs to be shown in the light as Salazar laughed once more. And since my outfit is somewhat similar to that of Leon's, ol' Salazar wouldn't know the difference...all the more fun to insult the guy! As the midget stepped forward on the balcony across from me, I grinned as I kept my upper body in the shadows. Show time!

"What a pleasant surprise. But I'm afraid it's Rally we need, not you, Mister Kennedy." the medieval midget purred as he clasped his hands together behind his back, a smirk playing on his face. Man, I am SO going to enjoy this.

"Really?" I purred back, watching in satisfaction as his smirk faltered. I stepped into the light and grinned up at his shocked face. "Then why don't you come down here and get me yourself? Unless...you're afraid to..."

Salazar jumped and yelped in surprise. "Ack! What are _you_ doing here? Where's Mister Kennedy?"

I gave him a catty grin as I shrugged uncaringly. "Sorry, dude but 'Mister Kennedy' didn't want to look at you anymore... and I don't blame him." I replied coolly then purred in mock whisper, "I think he thinks you're gay!"

Salazar stomped his foot. "_What_?"

I waved my hand in dismissal to his growl. "Well, hey, I agree with him. I mean, seriously, you were _eying_ him like he was a gift from God. Not my fault that you were looking at him wrong."

"How _**dare**_ you..!"

" 'How dare me?', what the hell kind of question is that? I'll dare all I want to if I fucking feel like it! How _**dare you**_ for trying to convince Saddler into giving you a marriage with me?"

"How did you know about that?"

"Your monks don't chant low enough, asshole! There's no way in **heaven, hell, earth or the entire fucking universe** I'd marry you, old man!"

"Did you say 'old man', Rally?"

"You need a new hearing aid, Salazar. I wouldn't marry you even if we were _**both**_ the last humans alive! Hell can freeze over a hundred times over and I still wouldn't marry you!" I raged, my eyes blazing with fury.

(A/N: I know that it was a little cliche to have the whole "marriage" deal but meh...I wanted to add it there. Sorry if it spoiled your enjoyment.)

The little midget ignored my rant and grinned at me. "It might come as a surprise, but I'm only twenty-years-old."

"Well, good for you... you can count! Do you want a cookie? Or maybe a gift?" I purred in a motherly tone then clapped my hands in mock happiness and grinned icily, "Oh, I know! How about twenty kicks in the ass?"

Salazar scowled at me, his yellowish eyes narrowing in anger.

I pretended to look hurt. "What? You don't want the gift from me?"

Salazar kept scowling.

"Careful. You can get stress lines and wrinkles that way."

The midget's eyes flashed in anger as I ignored it and thought loudly to myself. "Not that it would matter...You have a face that not even your own _mother_ will love." I muttered a little loudly.

_"EXCUSE ME!" _Salazar bellowed in fury, tightening his fists.

I glanced up at him, "Well, if I could resurrect your mother, she'll only need to take one look at you before she'll have a heart attack and die again." I sneered, "The face I see is not of Ramon Salazar, it's merely a mask. A mask worn by a puppet to the parasites."

The Castellan chuckled lightly as if I had just said a joke, his rage forgotten for the moment. "Surely you don't think I'm the same as those diminutive Ganados. The parasites, Las Plagas are slaves to my will. I have absolute control." he purred, wiggling his fingers in glee.

For Leon! "Well, I really don't give a damn. Rain or shine, you're goin' down." I hissed out the agent's line, "By the way, nice spirit fingers...Wanna see mine?" I grinned sweetly at him as I held up both hands, extending my middle fingers up at him and purred. "Bite me, Salazar!" (A/N: S.D Perry rules! If only she'll write a RE4 book...)

The midget growled angrily as several hidden doors opened, revealing a dozen or so cultists armed with scythes, crossbows and RPGs. Salazar looked down at me impassively, his face neutral and...is he checking me out? Why that sick little...!

"Bring me the girl alive." he ordered smoothly before he turned and left the room, his bodyguards following him silently. I growled angrily as the zealots began to close in on me. _He __**was**__ checking me out! When I get my hands on that little bastard...! _Steel bars dropped on the door I need to go through to move on and another set dropped in from behind me. Hey, Legend of Zelda time! I narrowed my eyes as I whipped out both handguns and aimed them at the approaching cultists.

They only grinned as they advanced, clutching their weapons like they were gifts from above and one made the bold motion of rushing me. I swiftly turned and fired twice, each bullet hitting the monk's nose. I then rushed over and slammed my foot into his face, the bone cracking as I broke his face with the kick. I snatched up a box of ammo he dropped and leaped back as one of the monks took a swipe at me with his scythe. I fired at him and suddenly felt a pulse run through me.

(A/N: Okay, this is going to sound cheesy but you know how a lot people who are close to another they get a connection right? And sometimes those connections are so strong that for some reason you can tell that they are thinking of you or when they're in trouble, right? Well, I want to try that out and see how you guys like it! Enjoy!)

_It better not be the goddamn plaga again, I'm getting tired of it being a pain in my ass!_ I thought bitterly but then I felt the pulse again but it wasn't a bad one instead...instead it was warm...and gentle..it felt like...

_Leon..!_ I smiled a little. He was thinking about me! Great! I just know he wants me to succeed! ...Wait...is he singing?

(A/N: _Are You There?_ by Oleander...hey...is it against the rules to use music too much in a fic? If it is then I'm screwed and this fic is in danger...O_O;)

_**"When I feel too far away**_

_**From where I want to be,**_

_**There's nothing left for me, yeah..."**_

I smiled as I listened to the lyrics...Leon **is** singing! He's singing to me! _Oh, yeah, baby! Time to fight!_ I barreled past the cultists, dodging their swinging blades and leaped over the small ledge. This is my little fort! I'll make my stand here! I fired wildly into the group, taking down three more monks.

"Ha! Take that you assholes! Don't worry Leon! I'm on my way!" I squealed cheerfully as I gunned down another cultist. One more made a dash for me and I grabbed a vase, smashing it against his face. As he stumbled back from the hit, I jammed the gun against his head and fired. The head blew apart and another plaga burst through his neck, shrilling angrily. I blasted it with the Riot-gun and it popped like a gory balloon!

_**"When I feel too close to breathe**_

_**Like a baby cutting teeth**_

_**In you I find relief, yeah..."**_

I raced out from my little alcove, deciding to take the enemies head on and headed for the side door. Flaming arrows whistled past me as I ran for the door. I spun in place and fired at the monk that fired them, doing a complete 360 while on the run, I didn't kill him but I made him drop his crossbow. I slammed open the door, smacking a hidden cultist with it and raced up the steps, snatching up a yellow herb. I whispered out the next line in song as another wave of monks burst through the doors in an attempt to corner me.

"_I pushed and pulled to break..._" I murmured as I fired at the crowd from both sides. I ejected both spent clips and slapped in a new pair that were clipped to my leg holsters. Thank you whatever movie had that idea! I kept firing at the group, dwindling their numbers quickly but they kept coming.

"Geez, you guys are jacked up on Starbucks coffee, aren't you?" I griped as I ejected the empty clips and popping in another pair of fresh ones. One of the monks staggered over to me in that awful chuckle, his teeth cracked from smiling too much or probably got popped from asking too many personal questions. I eyed him warily. "And you're jacked up on something... and its sure as hell ain't coffee."

I fired on his leg and when he fell to his knees, I ran up and tried to imitate Wesker's kick from the Mercenaries mini game. The Chinyo Changi. I lifted my leg and brought it down hard and...well...I didn't hit my intended target but let's just say he died from having his nose jammed **into** his face.

_**"Criticism comes in waves,**_

_**Numbering our days**_

_**But only you can save me."**_

_Hell yeah!_ I thought as I ran to the upper door and kicked the door open. Again, someone was hiding behind it and was knocked back, bounced off the wall and back toward me. I fired automatically and he fell right into the bullet's path. I turned as saw that the crossbowman that I had fired on earlier had picked up his weapon again and was aiming it at me.

I lifted my gun and my finger, motioning him to look up. He looked up and I fired on the red lamp hanging above him. The glass lamp shattered and showered the monk with broken glass and flaming liquid. He danced wildly, swinging his arms about in an attempt to snuff out the fire. Only in doing that he just fed the flames and made it worse.

"Oxygen feeds the fires, you stupid dumbass." I grinned as the monk's body collapsed in a blacken heap.

_**"Is anybody even there,**_

_**Who doesn't just pretend to care?**_

_**This time I need to know - are you there?"**_

_"Does anybody think they can begin to even understand? This time I need to know - are you there?"_ I whispered as I shot the other monk trying to hide behind a wall not too far from me. _I'm there with you, Leon. Not physically...yet...but you get the idea._ The hidden doors on the second floor swung open and out came two more crossbow snipers. One stood to my immediate left. I didn't even look at him as I raised the Blacktail up.

_BLAM!_

The red lamp hanging there fell and engulfed the crossbowman with broken glass and flames. I tilted head at a new sound as the monk flailed in panic near me then burned to a crisp. The door below me flew open and another wave of monks filed into the main room, only these were bearing shields and maces.

_"Ahí está!" _

_"__Cógelo!"_

I scowled. Great. Them.

I frowned as they split themselves up, half going for the side door and the other half going for the stairs. Now how in the hell am I going to get rid of them without wasting so much ammo doing it? I still have a long way to go and I'm going to **need** to save up on ammunation to get through it.

_**"Hang on, hang on..."**_

_"I know, I know..."_ I sang softly as I looked around the second floor that may be useful to get rid of the mad monk marching band. Other than the little ammo around here and the single lamp hanging over there... there wasn't much to use against the new wave of enemies. I scowled as two arrows shrilled past me from the crossbowman still alive on the other side of the room. I glared at him because he just interrupted my thoughts doing so.

"_HEY!_ I'm trying to think here, you jackass!" I yelled as I stuck the Blacktail through the little open window on the wall and aimed for him. "Never...and I repeat..._**never**_ interrupt a woman while she's planning! 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!' And believe me, bitch, you pissed me off!"

I pulled the trigger three times and each bullet hit its mark. One in the arm to make him drop his weapon, the next his leg to cripple him and the third blew apart his mouth, killing him. Jerk. The monks were taking their sweet time getting here. I looked at the stairs and knew why. They were all bunched up and stuck, the same goes for the half trying to go in behind me. Dumbasses.

I paused and blinked at the huge painting on the other side of the Gallery. Wait...aren't there...? A plan began to form in my mind as I continued to stare at it.

_**"It's the lie that we believe,**_

_**A truth that we conceive**_

_**That lies inside of me."**_

_**"When I leave it all behind,**_

_**Something hypnotized**_

_**The moment that it's mine."**_

"Perfect." I purred as the plan solidified in my mind. I love doing this! I thank the dumb enemies!

The groups were finally able to get through and looked around for me. I grinned as I went over the plan again.

"Hey, acá!" I called out mockingly, waving at them with a cheerful smile. The zealots turned and charged at me. I whirled around and headed for the center balcony, whistling to catch the attentions of the two hiding behind the painting. The large painting slid upward and revealed a secret room and two cultists were standing there with Rocket Launchers in hand.

I waved at them too, whirled around, bent over and spanked my ass while I crossed my eyes, stuck out my tongue and blew a rasberry. Apparently, the little act pissed the two off since they readied their weapons. That's good because I was hoping that it would. They aimed their weapons but hesistated, knowing that Salazar's orders were to bring me alive and if they broke that then Salazar will have their asses on a silver platter.

I scowled. This wasn't good. The other cultists were closing in and I need those two to fire and kill off these guys for me. I need to push their button, find a way to make 'em snap... I got it!

"You couldn't hit me if I painted a bull's-eye on myself and stood in front of the Rocket Launcher for you!" I taunted, spreading my arms wide as if to welcome the rockets. That did it. Th two zealots snarled in anger and fired their load, I shot them both dead, and jumped over the ledge just as the groups reached the spot I was at a moment before.

_**"Is anybody even there,**_

_**Who doesn't just pretend to care?**_

_**This time I need to know - are you there?"**_

_**BBBBOOOOMMM!**_

I stepped back underneath the balcony as a shower of blood, fleshy chunks and gore rained from above. The bloody "rain" smacked the walls and floor with a wet _slap! _I grinned at my handiwork as I walked back to side door. Using enemies against their own is fun and easy! If only they were all this easy...

I returned to the second floor, picked up their dropped items and went to the little red button next to the door out of here. I slapped the button and made my way to left door (after leaving a gift next to the large painting), entered the cramped room. I walked over to the large "innocent" looking vase and broke it with a quick swipe of my knife. I brushed the broken bits of pottery away to reveal another red button.

I grinned at it. _Gee, a red button, it looks promising! I wonder what it does?_ I pressed it and heard a loud grinding noise. Stone against stone...like something moving. _I wonder what happened outside?_ I stepped toward the door carefully, holding both handguns. I know there's going to be two cultists with launchers in the center of the room.

3...

2...

1...

I hit the floor and curled up as twin rockets roared through the air as soon as the zealots knew where I was. Rocket one blew the door open and rocket two blazed through and blew apart the back wall. I uncurled, aimed at the two weapon less monks and fired. The two cried out in surprise and pain at my sneak attack. They toppled over the platform's ledge and broke their necks when they hit the marble floor below.

_**"Does anybody think they can**_

_**Begin to even understand?**_

_**This time I need to know - are you there?"**_

I holstered one gun and gripped the string that was lying on the floor. I walked out, dusted myself off and checked over any of my items for damages. Once I was through, I walked over to the large painting. I grinned as I made the string taunt...

3...

2...

1...

The large painting shifted upward...

And I yanked on the string...

_**BOOM!**_

The bastards were dead before they even had a chance to lock and load! HA! Take that you insane monks! Leon ain't the only one that can kick ass or become a threat to the cult! I looped around the second floor and headed for the giant blue chest sitting on the platform. I popped it open and peered inside.

There, nestled at the bottom of the chest, standing out from the velvet red satin lining the bottom...was the Goat Ornament. I picked it up and felt a surge of happiness run through me. I squealed in joy as I held the piece of marble. I'm doing it! I'm doing it! I'm getting the pieces for Leon so we can both move on! Leon will love this!

I placed the piece inside Leon's attache case and looked around. Seeing, nothing else coming out to kill or capture me...I took the time to do a victory dance as the two sets of bars lifted and the doors unlocked themselves.

"Go, Rally! Go, Rally! It's your moment! It's your moment!" I sang out as I danced my way to the door, "You got the piece! You got the piece! You're a gunslinger girl! Hell yeah!"

_Thank you, Leon for helping me!_

* * *

-External Wall Area

I pushed open the door and stepped into a long, quiet and shadowy corridor. The stillness of the hall was a complete opposite to all the excitment that happened just several seconds ago. Creepy. I walked down the hall, the stone walls echoing my footsteps as I continued through it. The very silence of the hall creeped me out and sent chills down my spine. What a way to damper my victory...

(A/N: _Girl Power _by The Cheetah Girls... I like parts of the song... so I'll hum some of it and sing only parts that I like, okay?)

I decided to hum a song as I continued through the dead corridor. That helped my spirits and helped keep me calm. I hummed the tune as I thought of how Leon will be proud of me to know what I've done for him. Maybe Leon will see me as an equal that can stand up to what was happening without flipping out. Yeah, I'll be Leon's equal in every way! I picked up a box of handgun ammo and hummed happily.

_"__I've made mistakes before but I know I'm not perfect. It's okay 'cause who could ever be? As long as I did my best, it don't matter what no one says 'cause deep down in my heart I got the power to make it all happen!"_ I sang softly as I bobbed my head to the silent music. I pushed open the next door and walked only two steps when I was startled by the brushing of dry wings. I screamed in panic as the birds took into the air at the same time, whirling around me like leaves.

_CROWS!_ _Infected crows! Going to be pecked to death! _I fired blindly at the whirlwind of crows, hitting a few as the others took off through the windows in a panic. I leaned against the metal door as I stared at the dead crows then at the ones fleeing into the night.

"Jesus..." I breathed softly, holstering my weapon and rubbed my temples. "I'm not in Raccoon City. They're not infected. This is RE4...not RE2... But damn it...I **hate **it when they take off so suddenly...fucking birds." After calming myself down and picking up the dropped items, I finally pondered over the mystery of why the crows have such items.

I stared at the boxes of shotgun shells, TMP ammo, Handgun ammo and grenades. _Why do crows...?_ I stopped as I packed the items away. _You know what? I'm not going to bother questioning it. It's a blessing in disguise so I don't want to jinx it._ Once I was done packing the stuff away and knocking a spinel from the wall, I went back to humming and singing to myself.

_"You better stand up if you know just who you are! Never give up, never come too far! Girl Power! Girl Power!" _I sang as I went through another door. _The external wall area... nice name._ I thought bitterly as I hummed silently. _"At times I may just feel like my back is to the wall, I hold my head up high and keep on standin' tall!"_

I rounded the corner and peered over the ledge and cringed. I was so up high that I couldn't even see where the bottom of the castle was... it was completely pitch black. I curious about the castle's height but I don't want to know first hand if you get what I'm saying. I hummed softly as I walked down the stone path and paused at the pillar after hearing a soft sound.

The brushing of dry wings...crows.

I peeked around the pillar and sure enough, there were three birds minding their own business at the fountain. I don't like killing innocent animals...it's sick and wrong. They were here first...way before man. They were kind enough to share the planet with us and we go and stab them in the back, saying that the land, sea, and sky are ours. **Enngh! Wrong!** Those belong to the planet itself...and we don't own the planet... the planet owns us. Without it we wouldn't even be here. So if Mother Nature and the planet want to be bitchy because of what we're doing...then I ain't complaining. We're pissing them off and have no remorse in doing so...well most of us. I would love to live a bit longer if Nature lets me and I hold the upmost respect to the planet and Nature. They are our life...so if we're screwing them over, we're basically screwing ourselves over but so far no one has gotten the idea of it yet.

I don't like killing animals..but I need the items they're holding. Hmm...how to get the money items without killing anything? ...Oh! My slingshot! I holster the Blacktail, and brought out my old friend. I picked up some bits of pillar rubble and loaded the sling. I pulled it back and let it fly!

_Smack!_

The bird fell over. The other two didn't seem to notice.

I loaded another and let it fly.

_Smack!_

The other one tipped over and the last one just drank from the fountain.

_Smack!_

Well, not anymore. I rushed over to the fountain and checked over the crows. They were out cold but alive and will be pissed when they wake up. I picked up the items, drank from the fountain and filled a canteen that I discovered the Merchant had smuggled into my stuff. Thank you man! I headed for the locked door and looked through the barred window.

The Broken Butterfly... a very powerful revolver... lying peacefully in the chest just beyond my reach. And I wanted it for Leon. I sighed and glared at the open window high above me. But that's going to have to wait until I get him out of that trap. Damnit. _You win this time, Salazar... but that gun __**will**__ belong to Leon... sooner or later._

I pulled away from the room and continued down the stone path, humming softly. _"Sometimes life may get you down but you better hold your ground. Can't nobody live your life but you."_ I sang happily as I twirled about for a minute,_ "Stay true to who you are and always follow your heart. Your heart, your heart!"_

I hummed as I walked to the narrow path filled with barrels that were blocking my way. I broke them open, shifting through the remains and collected whatever came out. I picked my way carefully through the mess and packed the items into the attache cases. Suddenly, I felt a chill go down my spine as I approached the door.

I stood before it and the chills kept coming... I gulped.

Garden Maze...

Infected wolves...

Two Moon pieces...

Meeting Ada...

My eyes went wide at the realization. _Ada! I'm going to meet up with Ada! Ooh! What am I going to do? What am I going to say! She is going to be pissed off at me? Or disappointed for not being able to meet up with Leon? Gah! I hate this! Wait...maybe I can convince Ada to not give Wesker that damn sample..._

I smiled a little as another thought entered my mind. _Maybe convince her to not lie to herself about her feelings toward Leon. Everyone knows she likes him and he likes her... except for those two... Well, Leon is a little dense when it comes to women... Sorry Leon! Ada knows Leon likes her and she knows she likes him but is in denial. Why are game characters like that? How can two people that really like each other... I mean, __**really like**__ each other not see it themselves? Or deny it? One of the many mysteries of Life that we will never get an answer to. _

I placed my hand on the door and gulped again. I can joke about this all night but actually meeting her is going to scare the hell out me. I only hope she doesn't shoot me for letting Leon getting stuck in that trap...

_"You better stand up if you know just who you are! Never give up, never say die! Girl Power! Girl Power!"_ I sang out loud to give myself a pep talk, _"You better stand up if you know just who you are! Never give up, never come too far! Girl Power! Girl Power!"_

Feeling a little better about the whole thing, I pushed open the door and entered the Courtyard and Bedroom area...

_Leon...wish me luck. _

_Wish for me to survive __**this**__ ordeal and give me the strength to face Ada._

_And hope that I'll come out on top..._

* * *

WHHOOO! We're close to the long awaited meeting with Ada...and I still need help working that out. Anyone got any ideas for this? I'm out ideas for now.

Hey, does anyone know if its against the rules to use too much music in a fic..well songs actually...even though you give credit to the band or artist that sings it? If it is then I'm screwed if someone reads my fic, hates it and tattles on the Admins. They'll delete the fic and I'll be given a warning...and if that happens I can't finish the fic because I used so many songs in it. **I really need to know. **My sister's fic was deleted because someone didn't like the way it was written even though it was still within the rules. Whoever did that to my sister lied so that the fic could be taken down. The Hater. Anyway, that happened about four years ago... so I don't know if the rules have changed or not...

Thanks!

I hope you enjoyed the fic and the upcoming holidays, cause around then you won't see me for two weeks! College is my only access to the net for now and since I won't be there cause of the holidays...I won't be able to post anything.

Chat with ya later!

Pikpixie03


	17. Maze Madness And The Woman In Red!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life saying it.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! As I have mentioned in the summary, this was inspired by 1wingangel's fic: Resident Evil 4: Real Life Edition! Truly an amazing fic and you should read it before reading mine. _Savin' Me _done by Nickleback and _Hero _is done by Chad Kroeger. Man, I love these songs! They fit, right? I apologize for leaving out the fanboys of Leon, sorry! Oh, and I've figured that I'll adding _Holding Out For A Hero _by Bonnie Tyler to the chapter where **I **get captured by the Novistador but I've just can't figure out how to do it. The reason why I placed all the songs you've read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I usually think of songs and sing them in my head when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

**Final Note:** 74 reviews? Ooh yeah, baby! I would love to thank all my readers for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic! This is actually the first fic I've written that I believe will actually finish! Cool! I've written a lot of fics but nearly all of them are no where near finished.. or have a clear ending. **This is ya'lls gift! The long awaited chapter!**

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Leon w/ his bomber jacket, points gun) _"Time for pay back!"_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Sixteen: Maze Madness and the Woman in the Red Dress

- Balcony above Garden

I gazed at the garden stretching below and beyond me in awe. The moonlight played on the hedges and fountains while the torches flickered and made the shadows dance. It looked as though a garden party was taking place, the moonlight and torch light bathed the courtyard in a mix of silver and gold. "Wow..." I breathed softly as I took in the beauty of the garden, "It's so beautiful here."

Soft snarling and growling floated in the air, shattering the silence of the night. I scowled at the sounds. _Yeah, until ol' Salazar fucked it up._ A garden party is going to take place but ain't pretty. This party is gonna be a deadly one.

"This sucks... and in more ways than one." I growled as I headed down the stone path toward the stairs. I reached the door that led to the bedroom and I smiled a little. How odd that Leon meets up with Ada in a _bedroom_ of all places? I guess it gives players the idea that there's some romance between the two...at least there should be! Those two are more stubborn than a pack of mules carrying a group of tourists around the Grand Canyon! To hell Cupid's Arrow, upgrade him with the "Love Rocket!" Maybe a blast from that will get these two started!

A nice thought but I wouldn't want to rush things along too quickly. Besides, it was a lot of fun to watch them run around in a game of cat and mouse. It's like they're getting to know one another better this way. If this is their version of dating then I would _love_ to see their wedding! I looked at the garden and grinned slyly. Kick out Salazar, take over the place, clean it up some and it'll be the best safehouse for the STARS team! Clean up the garden and we got ourselves a nice place for weddings! Maybe Ada will then wear something else other than red for a change.

I glanced at the door and read the writing carved into the metal. "_Two Moons Make One._" I murmured and snorted at it. _Meh. Yeah right. It should say "Two Moons Make One, if you live long to get them and put them together"! Salazar, you crazy ass bitch, why did you have to split them in half?_ I bypassed the door and headed for the stairs that led to the garden maze.

The transmitter beeped...

_Ah, hell..._

"What hell do you want?" I griped as I flipped the radio open and the midget's hysterical giggle buzzed through the speaker. My eye twitched at the very sound of it. The more I listen to him giggle, which by the way is a lot more irritating than Alfred's laugh; the more satisfaction I get by dreaming of one day getting that Rocket Launcher down his throat... "Salazar, is whatever you're going to say even worthy of my time?" I hissed at the fuzzy image of the midget.

_"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"_ Salazar tittered as the image finally cleared up. He had on a happy expression, a huge grin that covered half of his wrinkly face. His eyes were closed to make room for his hideous smile. _"Mister Kennedy. Still alive, I see."_

I scowled at the tiny image. "Shortie, if you actually had your eyes open, you can _see_ that you're not talking to 'Mister Kennedy', you dumbass!"

Salazar's face fell in shock and stared at me like I had grown a second head. I glared at him. "What? You forgot what I looked like?"

_"Where's Mister Kennedy?"_

"Ain't talkin' with you that's for sure."

_"I wish to speak with him!"_

"Sorry, Leon's into girls...not guys..."

_"I'M NOT GAY!"_

"So says the little midget man that desperately wants to speak with my rescuer."

Salazar snarled angrily and pounded his fist against something hard, yellow eyes blazing in fury. I couldn't help but grin at his reaction. Pissing him off was always fun to watch, maybe that's why he's got some fans out there. He glared at me as his left eye twitched in annoyance.

"Salazar, say it with me... 'Ther-a-py! Ther-a-py!' " I snickered as the Castellan's eye twitched a bit more rapidly. He clenched his hands, gritted his teeth and... is that a vein popping out from his temple? He opened his eyes and glared at me as he let his breath out in an angry hiss.

_"Silence, woman!" _he snapped, _"I __**demand**__ that I speak with Mister Kennedy, right now!"_

Silence filled the cool night air as I stared at the little radio. My mirth and humor gone in a flash, replaced with a ice like front. My joking spirit and laughter in my eyes froze over into a cool stare. I gave him a frost-bite glare.

"Excuse me?" I hissed coldly, my cool stare never wavering.

_"I said, 'I __**demand**__ to speak-"_

"Hold it right there. Let me tell you something, you little bastard. That whole 'I demand you' shit that you're spewing at me right now... It ain't gonna work, pal." I hissed icily, "It may have worked fine back in the sixteenth century but if you haven't noticed this is the twenty-first century, asshole. I have the right to tell you to shut the fuck up if I feel like it and guess what?_ Shut the fuck up._ If you have something to say then suck it up and say it to me, you little shit. Because this time around it's _the_ _man who listens to the woman now_, you son of a bitch! So get use to it!"

Salazar was silent, blinking in surprise on the other side of the radio. I ignored the flush of color around his face and glared at him, daring him to say otherwise. He didn't but merely returned the cool gaze.

_"Very well then, I shall speak with you."_ the Castellan replied stiffly, then smiled. _"So, do you like my garden?"_

"I see that you managed to work in a little of your twisted taste here too." I answered dryly, "It could use a few flowers, though. But then having flowers will say that you're gay."

Salazar chuckled lightly as I just merely blinked boredly at him. _"Sagacious as I am, even I get lost here sometimes. Even if it takes the agent's whole life, he'll never get out."_

"And why didn't _you_ stay lost?" I asked acidly as I shifted my weight to one leg, bored. He frowned slightly at my question and ignored it. I think he's trying to impress me...and failing miserably at it.

_"Do you know that no one dies without a cause? Mister Kennedy will satisfy the stomaches of my cute pets."_

"Did you know that people get shot everyday for talking too damn much?"

Salazar narrowed his eyes at me. _"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to tie up a few loose ends. Like chasing down a couple of rats."_ the midget continued a little stiffly, trying his best to keep calm.

"Which I'm sure will be very exciting once your medication kicks in." I purred cheerfully, unable to help myself from enjoying Salazar's anger simmer. The Castellan scowled at me before he cut the transmission to do whatever it is he does. I shook my head as I flipped the radio closed and tucked it back on my belt. Although I love pissing Salazar off, it's still a pain in the ass to listen to him whine or threaten me every hour or so. I sighed as I walked down the stairs...

* * *

- Garden Maze Entrance

I hate this place.

Pure and simple.

I hate the maze. I hate the fact that I have to grab two pieces of some fucking stone to open a door. I hate getting lost here. I hate having to open every chest to find the pieces. And I really hate being chased around by a bunch of wolves that want nothing more than to chew my neck to shreds. Why can't Salazar fill his garden up with kittens? Or some cute puppies? Something that will surely keep me here? Like games. If he stuck a TV, a Gamecube and some really cool games then there will be no way in hell I'll leave this garden. But no, he's going to sic his demented wolves at me, which will be more than enough reason for me to want to leave here as quickly as possible.

I scowled at the gate before me. _I __**hate**__ you, Salazar. I hate you, I hate your wedding plan, I hate your pets and I fucking hate your maze! If Leon doesn't kill you... _**I**_ will!_ I switched to the Riot-Gun and placed my remaining Incendiary Grenades around my belt, telling myself that I'll only use them if its pack of Colmillos. I took a deep breath, pushed open the gate and stepped inside the garden.

(A/N: This will be a great time to listen to Desert_Lynx_87-6_hours_to_Doomsday_(The_Last_Day_Remix) at least for the mood of the maze. You can find it on VGMusic (dot) com. It's under the N64 section, Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask. I think it fits pretty well in here or some really creepy music.)

I gripped the shotgun tightly as I stepped deeper into the hell hole of the once peaceful garden. There were a couple barrels near by, under the bridge that led from one part of the maze to the other. Normally, I would go for the barrels as soon as I saw them but I knew that those mutts will be waiting for me to drop my guard so they can strike. I gulped as I edged forward, my body tense, ready to shoot when they appeared.

And a sudden savage snarl shattered the silence as two large blurs tore around the corner and jumped for me. I screamed out in fear and instinctively squeezed the trigger of the shotgun. One was knocked out of the air while the other snapped at my foot with another snarl. I reflexively kicked it, forcing it to leaped back. The Colmillo shook its muzzle and whimpered in pain before it glared at me, its green eyes glowing hungrily.

The first one stood, shook off the shot and turned to me, the torch light reflecting off its fangs of its ever eternal grin. The firelight cast both wolves in an eerie shadow, making them all the more hellish. I pumped the shotgun and fired again, hitting them both this time. The shot knocked them flat to the ground but they were still alive and pissed. They both stood and growled angrily, eager to feast on something.

I stepped back in surprise at the very endurance that these creatures had. _Cerberus dogs take two shots of the shotgun in order to die, just how much do Colmillos take?_ The two wolves growled softly as they approached, their glowing green eyes shining ever so softly and their grinning jaws growing larger. _I never used the Riot-Gun on them! I always used the Incendiary Grenades...and I don't have enough for __**all**__ of them!_

The Colmillos leaped forward, their twisted maws open and ready to bite onto human flesh. I shrieked in panic and raced between them, the wolves flew past me and collided with the gate. I whirled around and watched as they stood, ready to attack once more but suddenly I realized that their heads went through the bars... and they were stuck. They snarled and yelped in anger as they struggled to free themselves from the gate.

I just stared at them as they scrambled at the bars with their paws in an effort to release themselves from the old gate. Normally, I would find this funny and tease them to no end about how stupid they were for doing that to themselves but I wasn't in a laughing mood. I was scared about this area...I never went through this using the Riot-Gun. I always had a good supply of red grenades when I went through the game...but then I was playing as Leon...not myself.

I raised the shotgun once more and fired twice. The first Colmillo died from the shots but the second accidentally killed itself when it tried to dodge the oncoming rounds. It twisted its head to one side and broke its own neck. Both bodies collapsed and disintegrated into the grass just under the gate, leaving behind a disgusting pool of melted mush. And even _**that**_ dissolved into the ground. I quickly put a hand over my mouth to stop myself from blowing chunks and not breathing in the smell of liquefied wolf.

I backed away from the gate and leaned against the wall of the bridge, next to the barrels. I kept staring at the spot where the Colmillos died and tried to get my breathing under control. I was seriously in trouble in the garden maze, I don't enough Incendiary grenades, the wolves take about four shots of the shotgun to die, and I can't afford to waste all the shotgun ammo here. I need that ammo for the cage match shortly after all this. I took deep breaths as I silently cursed Capcom for doing this. Why in the hell did they have to have a hard battle after having the player run around in a panic in a creepy maze?

I sighed as I remembered the answer for this...Survival Horror! It's all about planning ahead and kill all the enemies without wasting so much ammo in doing so. _Thank you Capcom...you're a god send for games but when players start experiencing your games in real life... you're a pain in the ass._ I pushed away from the wall and broke the barrels next to me, revealing a Velvet Blue and a much needed box of Shotgun Shells.

I reloaded the Riot-Gun and headed south of the gate, seriously shaking in fear for what the game had in store for me here. I turned right and headed down the small path toward a closed gate and another pair of snarls sounded near me. I jumped and whirled around, expecting an attack from behind. I swiveled the shotgun around the path behind me but saw nothing. The snarls sounded again and I whirled around again, freaking out at the fact that the wolves could toying with me. But instead I found the source of those growls locked in a pen just beyond the closed gate.

There were a pair of Colmillos pawing at their cage frantically to get it open. I set the shotgun down and took out the Semi-Auto Rifle, aiming it through the bar of the closed gate and targeted the closest wolf. I peeked through the scope and fired, instantly stiffening, my hand on the Riot-Gun just in case. The hellish hound dodged the headshot but got hit in the hind leg. It squealed in pain as the round blew open a hole in its leg. It suddenly snarled and began tackling the cage door in hopes of breaking it open and get to its new source of food.

I fired again and hit it in the throat but even then it didn't die. Ignoring the pain and the blood squirting through its neck, the wolf continued to tackle the bar door, its mind fixed on getting the cage open. _Geez, these things are tough. Its bleeding to death but it won't stop trying to get out. _I fired once more, aiming for another headshot. The Colmillo's left eye exploded in rain of blood and gore, the back of the creature's head erupting into a shower of shattered bone and brain matter. The infected animal crumbled to the floor of the cage as its partner let out a howl of rage and rammed the bar door down.

The enraged Colmillo charged out the cage and barreled toward me, eager to eat. I quickly swapped for the Riot-Gun and fired through the gate, hitting the wolf dead on the face. The buckshot knocked it back, forcing it to roll across the grass in a bloody heap, but it was quick in getting back to its feet. It snarled and lunged forward, jaws wide open. I fired again, aiming for the open mouth. The dog's muzzle burst open in a bloody mess as it fell forward, twitching madly on the grass, half of its face blown clean off. It made a soft whimper from the back of its throat and I felt bad for it.

I checked its position, then kicked the rusted gate over. The top part of the gate landed directly on the wolf's neck, snapping it in half with a loud _crack!_ I shook off the sympathy as the twin animals disintegrated into the ground in a pool of blood and brownish goo. I collected the pesetas and headed all the way to the right. I took the spiral shaped path and came upon a box of Shogun Shells lying on the grass at the end of the path. I smiled at little at my fortune and walked over to the box of ammo, bending over to pick it up. I stopped short of picking it up as realization dawned on me. I remembered what happened after picking up the ammo.

I whirled around, knelt down and aimed the Riot-Gun toward the open space out of the corner. I reached out behind me and felt around for the box as I kept the shotgun trained at the entrance, ready for the wolf to come tearing around the corner. My fingers brushed the box and my hand closed around it, claiming it as my own-

-and felt a warm puff of air on my bare arm... then heard the soft growl behind me.

I stiffened as I closed my eyes at my mistake. "Aw... shit..." I hissed softly as the growl began to grow louder. I gripped the ammo box and the weapon tightly, the wolf's growl grew louder. _Ass kissing mother fucking bastard of hell... I forgot that they can attack from the hedges! Oooh, not good! Not good! Okay... there's a Colmillo right behind me, ready to tear my ass apart over for a box of ammo..._ I thought it over quickly and winced at the plan that formed in my mind.

"God how I hate my life at times..!" I wailed as I shot from my crouch and took the corner sharply as the wolf snarled angrily and gave chase. I raced out of the spiral path with a shriek of panic as the furred devil gained ground rapidly, snapping its jaws at the air behind me. I turned right and blazed up the steps of the bridge as the Colmillo followed my every step. I spun around quickly and swung the shotgun, using it like a baseball bat and whacked the creature off the bridge. It toppled over the edge and yelped in pain as it hit the ground. I looked over the edge and saw that the wolf was picking itself up and gave me a dirty look.

I glared right back at it. "Don't look at me like that! I wasn't the one that tried to take a bite out of your ass!"

The wolf glared at me then limped away, disappearing into the maze for another chance at me. I mentally kicked myself for not killing it, now there's going to be a pissed off wolf hiding out in a messed up maze to try to chew on me again. Great. I sighed as I checked over the shotgun's condition, making sure that there weren't any cracks in the structure. The weapon was perfectly fine and I took a look around the area from the top of the bridge, getting a nice view of the overall garden. I scanned the area and saw the fountain that held the Moonstone (Left Half). Next me, on another fountain that took up the center area of the garden was the Moonstone (Right Half). I would grab that first if it weren't for the gap separating me from it.

I sighed again and headed down the stairs, going left toward the TMP ammo within the red box. I snatched the ammo and quickly reloaded the weapon with it then left the corner, going back to the stairs. From there I headed northeast toward the fountain that held the first piece of the crappy stone I needed to get out of here. _Salazar, you crazy ass fuck... damn you and your maze!_ I thought angrily as I walked into the open area.

I paused as I heard a soft sloshing sound from somewhere near me, then remembered that the sound was from the fountain. Adoring the open patch of garden sat a beautifully crafted fountain, carved from white marble. There was a statue of a woman kneeling and holding a large bowl over her head. Crystal clear water cascaded from the bowl and splashed gently into the tub of the fountain. Something sparkled in the light of the torch that flanked the fountain and I ran up to it.

"There you are." I smiled at the broken half of the stone and picked it up. Sweet! One more to go! As I dropped the item into the attache case, I spun around to face the entrance and held up an Incendairy grenade, ready to chuck it at the pack of Colmillos that I knew will attack. I edged toward the entrance of the path carefully while keeping the grenade at the ready. But no wolf came to attack when I reached the base of the stairs to the bridge. I looked around in confusion but didn't relax.

"O-kay...creepy." I muttered as I hurried up the steps and retraced my steps back to the kennel area I was at before. I headed west and noticed a strange smell as I picked up a few items, killing a Colmillo (that caught me off guard and with some difficulty) as I headed for the northwest corner of the maze. The smell was familiar but I couldn't quite place it in my memory. I ignored it and picked up a First Aid Spray then headed north of it to the second kennel area. I snatched up a box handgun and put it away as the Colmillo, locked in the pen, broke free and charged at me.

I yelped out in fright as the wolf lunged and tackled me to the ground. I managed to bring up the Riot-Gun and used it as a bar as the wolf scrambled to sink its teeth into me. I cried out in pain as the infected Lupine's claws scratched at my chest and legs as it tried to bypass the weapon and get to my neck. It gnawed at the shotgun, too intent at trying for my throat that it didn't bother with biting my hands. A cry of alarm escaped my throat as the wolf placed its paws on the weapon and bore down on it, using its weight to force it down. _Holy shit! These things are a hell of a lot more clever than the Cerberus dogs!_

I finally managed to slip my leg underneath the canine's body and forced the shotgun back up. I snapped my leg upward and gave a final shove of the shotgun, throwing the hellish carnivore off. It yelped as I knocked it off and quickly scrambled to my feet as the guard dog rolled to its own. It snarled and charged again and I only had enough time for one last move. It leaped forward and so did I, jamming the barrel of the Riot-Gun in its mouth. It gagged and I pulled the trigger, the round bursting its gut open and the wolf flopped over, dead from the wound.

I glared at in both anger and fear as I breathed heavily from the nightmarish encounter. God, how I hated surprise attacks. My body quivered from shock and the sudden adrenaline rush that started to fade off. I blew my breath out harshly as I pumped the empty shell from the weapon while the wolf melted into the grass.

"Argh..._**damnit**_! I hate it! I hate it when that happens! I **fucking hate **this place! Salazar, killing you better be worth going through all of this!" I screamed in fury, then quickly bit my knuckle in order to calm down, "Killing the castle midget isn't worth it... but rescuing Leon **is** worth going through this nightmare. Hell, I'll finish the whole game to rescue him!" _Right. So I better keep that in mind when I start freaking out again._

I left the kennel area and headed east for a Spinel I knew was hidden there. Once I get that, I'll head back to the center fountain and leave before something else decides to go wrong. I bypassed a rusted gate and continued on my way to pick up my little treasure. Hey, I need every peseta I can get to get that Chicago Typewriter. I paused for a bit as the strange smell grew stronger. The smell was getting annoying, I should know what it is but I can't place my finger on the name. I rounded the corner of on hedge, found my little gem, knelt down and picked it up. As I lifted my gaze, I scowled at the sight before me. If I had the time...I would slap myself for jinxing the thought.

A lone zealot stood in the corner with a large insane grin on his face. He was a red robed cultist and he had a torch in his hand. My eyes widen at the sight. A crazed monk with a torch is never good. What exactly was he going to do? Barbecue me? My gaze fell upon a tipped over red barrel and the trail of liquid that led from it. I paled as I recognized the smell. Oh my god... The zealot grinned hugely and dropped the torch. I shrieked in out in panic and ran from the corner as fire blazed all around the nearby hedges. The idiot covered half the garden in gasoline!

Flames consumed the northern hedges and raced to seek out the rest of the grounds to satisfy its hunger. I streaked around a corner, kicked open the rusted gate and raced through, wanting the fastest way out. I skidded to halt as I remembered that I didn't get the second half of the moonstone. I looked toward the gate entrance then at the path that led to the center fountain. If I left now, I would be safe but then I wouldn't be able to collect the needed item until much later. Should I get it now or wait until after the fire died away? I juggled the decision as the inferno spread rapidly.

I let out a shriek of outrage as I ran down the long path to the center fountain. "Damnit, Salazar, you hired and infected fucking psychos into your little religious family! You're all fucking nuts!" I raged as I sped through the little paths to get to the stairs. The dancing flames crackled and popped as it ate at the once beautiful garden, my skin flushed and tightened at the very heat of the blaze. My eyes watered as a light haze of smoke floated about, most of it drifted skyward and made it slightly harder to breathe.

I reached the stairs and quickly ascended them and was hit by a thick blanket of smoke. I coughed and waved as much of the smoke away from my face so I could to see where the piece was. There! Sitting at the statue's feet! I grabbed it and dropped to my knees below the blanket of smoke, putting the Riot-Gun away. I dug out a bandanna and dunked it into the pool of water, squeezed most of it out and tied it around my neck. I lifted it up and covered the lower half of my face with it, breathing through that. I noticed a metal pole lying next to the fountain and snatched that up. I gazed out to the garden and shuddered at the scene. Flames danced all around and clawed the night air, laping at the untouched greenery, consuming the entire garden. It was like a vision straight from hell itself .

Suddenly, right behind me came a trio of savage snarls. "Not now..." My eye twitched in annoyance as I looked over my shoulder. There stood three wolves, eying me hungrily. It was the group that was supposed to attack me at the other fountain. The fiery light cast them in an unnatural glow, almost as if they were made of fire themselves. I stood rapidly and ran around the fountain. The pack howled, their shrill voices holding a predatorial fury in their tone. I leaped off the platform and landed roughly on the ground below. Two more howls filled the heated air as a pair of Colmillos streaked around a corner...one of them had a limp.

"Son of a bitch..." I muttered angrily as I recognized the wolf I had knocked off earlier, "So you did plan something." I pushed off the ground and rushed toward the main gate. The trio on the platform leaped off and joined the other two in the pursuit. Again, howls filled the air as a few more joined in the hunt as I kept my eyes on the gate. _Jesus Christ how many are still in this place?_ The Colmillos began to close the distance and I heard the snap of powerful jaws right behind me. I sped up in anxiety, the howls of the pack rising to a fever pitch at the thrill of the chase.

_Gate! Gate! Get to the gate!_ I chanted mentally as I tried to ignore the heavy pants and growls of the wolf pack tailing me. I hurried toward my only salvation, hoping to gain enough ground to lock it. _Gate! Gate! Yes, gate!_ I rammed the metal gate open, spin kicked it closed and jammed the metal pole into handles. Without looking back, I scurried up the steps and listened in sickening horror as the savage snarls of rage turned into howls of fright and pain as the flames finally consumed the entire garden maze, hedges and grass.

I quickly turned away from the burning garden and brought out the two pieces as I walked over to the Bedroom door. _Okay, that's going to be at the top of my 'I-don't-want-to-do-again' list until I find something else just as bad._ I popped the pieces in place after I figured out how to put the two together, making the Blue Moonstone. I slid the piece into its slot on the door as the inferno continued to eat the maze behind me. The heavy metal door slid upward, taking the item with it and I wondered how anyone can close that door. I removed both my handguns and walked inside. I knew exactly what was coming up next.

* * *

- Bedroom

Smiling nervously to myself, I pulled at the bandanna around my mouth to loosen it up a little. I guess I pulled at it a little too much because it fell right off. I knelt down, trying to pick it up with shaky fingers and it took a couple of tries but I finally got it. I straighten up and looked rather interested at the picture frame propped up on the fire place as I crossed my arms.

Okay, here goes nothing...

3...

2...

1...

I heard the soft cat-like stride coming from behind me and counted the steps. When I was sure she was close enough, I turned around and aimed one of my handguns at the person behind me, keeping the other trained on the floor. A woman in a lovely red dress had aimed her weapon at me as well. We were both aimed and ready, locked in a stalemate. The woman smiled, her red shades hiding her eyes.

"Put your hands where I can see them." she ordered in a cool, calm voice, her gun targeting my chest. I only mirrored her smile.

"I rather not." I returned just as calmly, my gun aimed at her chest as well.

She pulled the hammer back and narrowed her eyes. "Put them up now."

I pulled the hammer back on both handguns and only smiled. "I don't think so...Ada. Besides, you're standing next a grenade I planted. You shoot me, I shoot that and we both die."

She froze, blinking rapidly but didn't falter her stance. I smiled childishly at her reaction. Oh yeah...I got her attention, although the grenade deal was actually a bluff. I just cramed a wad of paper under the carpet. I smiled a little more, I guess lying does come in handy every once in awhile. After a few seconds, Ada sighed and smiled, letting her gun arm fall and she removed her sunglasses. I watched her movements closely.

"Okay, clever. So let me guess...You're Rally Nightshade, the kidnapped victim of this odd little cult?" she asked dryly as she tapped her shades against her leg.

"You got it, girl. And you're Ada Wong, the supposedly dead chick from Raccoon City that Leon desperately tried to save." I answered, keeping my gun trained on her. No point in relaxing if the game decides to fuck up this scene.

"How did you know about that?"

"Leon told me as we walked through the halls of this crappy place." I said, "Apparently he knew that you were alive the entire time and working with Wesker."

Ada's eyes widen slightly. "How did-?"

"Leon's a government agent. It shouldn't be that much of a surprise to you." I answered dryly.

The woman smiled at the thought, "So he's been doing his homework."

"Yeah... so why are you doing it?" I asked as I kept an eye on her right hand. Ada smiled as she "discreetly" dropped her shades. I narrowed my eyes at her movement and lowered the Blacktail at it. Ada noticed and glanced at them as if in confusion.

"Girl, what are you doing? They're just shades..."

"Drop the act, damnit. I know that's a flash bomb." I growled as she stared at me in surprise. "Tell me...can Wesker hear us through that? I bet he does. If he can then I hope he likes what he hears. Hey, Wesker! Kiss kiss!" I purred and fired a shot. The little red shades blew apart, raining its pieces all over the floor, a few bouncing off Ada's ankle.

"How did you know about the sunglasses?"

"You're working with Wesker. Shades are his trademark signature, duh. I know he can design a nice pair that act like a WiFi computer. Say, can you ask him to make me a pair?" I asked brightly, forgetting for the moment that Wesker is evil but he's so fucking cool anyway.

The Asian woman stared at me as if I was nuts. I don't blame her...at that brief time I was hoping Wesker would jump in and be himself, demanding what I knew. So yeah, I went nuts there for about four seconds. I blushed at my action and returned to business.

"Besides, I know exactly what's going on here. I know that you're here looking for Luis and get in contact with him. I know that Wesker wants the Plaga Sample and you're helping him to get it." I hissed, "All for the sake of reviving Umbrella. The very company that Leon and the Raccoon City STARS worked so hard to bring down."

Ada blinked in surprise then the cool look returned in her dark eyes. "Does-?"

"Leon know? No. That's for him to figure out on his own but believe me he's going to be pissed when he finds out."

"What else do you know?"

"Other than the fact that you have a thing for Leon but for some reason you don't want to admit it? Plenty. I know a lot about what's going on and what's been going on in the past. I know enough to make you think that I'm some weird psychic that knows what's going to happen. Like - if Wesker revives Umbrella - all the shit you seen so far now and back at Raccoon City **will happen again**." I growled, "I know all of that but I don't know a thing about you."

Ada narrowed her eyes. "About me?"

I nodded as I lowered my weapons slightly. "You're a woman shrouded in mystery, Ada. You're a real pro, girl. Always calm and collected no matter what, just to get your job done. But then you showed a feminine side while hanging around Leon, looking for a way out in Raccoon before it got nuked."

Ada shrugged as she shifted her weight to her left leg. "Yeah, so?"

I smiled a little. _Oh, yeah. Leon and Ada are _made_ for each other, they're a perfect couple!_ "So tell me...who's the real Ada?"

"What?"

"Which is your true side? Are you a cold hearted bitch that doesn't really give a rat's ass about anyone but herself? The one who just uses her charms to manipulate people around her to get what she wants?" I asked seriously, "Or are you the cool, calm, caring woman that hides behind the other because she's afraid of getting hurt? The one that _does_ care about other people and knows what Wesker is doing is wrong? The one who fell and is still _in love_ with Leonardo Scott Kennedy, the rookie cop that turned into a government agent?"

Ada smiled at my question as she flicked aside her short black hair, "Heh."

Something small bounced away from her leg holster and landed on the floor. I glanced down in surprise as the tiny flash bomb went off, filling the room with white light. I hissed out in shock and leaped back as I heard Ada cartwheel toward the open window. _Aw, damnit! A secondary flash bomb!_ She laughed lightly as my vision cleared and I glared at her.

"You're a clever girl, Rally, but I'm better. I'll think about what you said." Ada purred as she leaped out the window. She held up a small tape recorder, a catty grin on her face. I stared in shock and place a hand over my mouth. _Oh, shit! She recorded everything I said! _I scowled, if I don't convince her to not turn over the sample to Wesker, I'll be a target to the new Umbrella that'll rise. Shit. _Think of something! QUICK!_

"Hey!" I called out, which made her pause. "I'll give you something else to think about. Do you really want Umbrella back in town? If you give Wesker the sample then you're going guarantee Leon's death once that company rears it's ugly head. With Wesker in charge of the company, Leon and the STARS are going to die trying to bring that hell bent company down once again. Do you want to be the one responsible for Leon's death?"

She only smiled wider and shrugged then grappled away from my sight. I wanted to be upset that she had the nerve to record all that but I couldn't help but smile at the open window. She's the caring the one that hides behind a mask. Once she gets her head out of her ass, she'll see and hopefully get with Leon so he can stop secretly pining over for her. I scowled as I rubbed at my eyes. I had no idea that she carried a secondary one, damnit. Or the fact that she carried around a tape recorder. I think I just screwed myself, Leon and the STARS over by saying all that. Great.

(A/N: ***grins*** hint hint)

"Memo...memo to me take all precautions when dealing with her. She's a sneaky one." I muttered and grinned again. If they get married...it'll be an interesting marriage. I can see it now! Ada and Leon are going to be global hopping in a merry game of hide and seek. To hell with Hawaii for their honeymoon, they're going all over the world! I wonder how their kids are going to deal with it? Or who are they going to take after more? A mini Ada and a mini Leon...too cute to imagine but adorable enough to want to come true.

I rubbed at my eyes a bit more in irritation of the flash bomb. "Merchant! Do you have any eyedrops?" I called out as I went to the small room.

* * *

WHOO! Dear readers...HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I hope you enjoyed this chappy as much as I did writing it! But tell me if I could have done anything more with it. I'm afraid that I didn't make the meeting with Ada as exciting as it should have been, I apologize. The Garden Maze took up most of the action. I want your honest opinion about the chappy.

I love to thank you all for being so great and helpful! An author(ess) couldn't ask for anything more! You guys are so cool and honest!

Everyone gets a Leon mafia (in a christmas like style) plushie, holding a Chicago Typewriter that spits out Christmas candy! And he says other cute Christmas related stuff! And some Christmas related sarcastic stuff (C'Mon its the mafia Leon, he's gotta act criminal. lol).

*squeezes plushie*

Leon: *adorable chibi voice* _Merry Christmas...and a Happy New Year!_

My New Year's Resolution... is finish one of my fics before graduating college! (At least one of them).

(looks worried) Well, I hope I didn't end up writing another Mary-Sue case chapter. I had no idea that I had myself-insert character becoming a Mary-Sue type. I didn't intend to, I had no idea that there was a thing called a Mary-Sue. I thank you deeply for catching it, 1wingangel! You've saved me from another cliche fic type! (claps) Thank you!

A poem for all of you...my readers and fellow authors! May you feel the same as I do about the ending year!

_2007 is about over_

_And 2008 is around the corner._

_Time changes like the tide,_

_Pushing and pulling,_

_Forever flowing in its bind. _

_My body may age_

_But my spirit will never change,_

_No matter what says the dial!_

_This is the Heart of a Child! _

_-Written by Pikpixie 03_

Okay so my poetry and rhyming skills need work but I thought it was good for a first timer.

See you all, next year! (two weeks actually but you get my point) May you be showered in gifts you want! I only pray that I'll get _Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles_ as a gift but I'll take what I can get!

Chat with you all later!


	18. Dinning Room Dance and Lost Innocence

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists!

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** A New Year a New Chappy! Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! Oh, and I've figured that I'll adding _Holding Out For A Hero _by Bonnie Tyler to the chapter where **I **get captured by the Novistador but I've just can't figure out how to do it. The reason why I placed all the songs you've read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I usually think of songs and sing them in my head when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

**Final Note:** Sorry for the delay! Three weeks without an update to this fic must've have taken a toll on your hopeful nerves! Haha! Not to worry! Here's a new chappy for you guys! I would love to thank all my readers for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic! This is actually the first fic I've written that I believe will actually finish! Cool! I've written a lot of fics but nearly all of them are no where near finished.. or have a clear ending.

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Chibi Leon in a kelvar vest, aiming his gun) _"You took MY cookie!"_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Seventeen: Dinning Room Dance and the Lost Innocence

- Side Room of the Scarlet Bedroom

I leaned my head back and applied the eye-drops to my irritated eyes, blinking rapidly to get used to it. The merchant watched me with an amused look in his eyes while rifling around through his wares. I closed my own as I rolled my neck and shoulders, knowing well that battle fatigue was beginning to wear me down. Normally, Leon could ignore it since he was trained and was used to this way before he became a government agent. Thank you, Raccoon City and Umbrella. But problem is that Leon isn't going through this...I am. And I'm not used to it and I feel as though I'm getting through this by the skin of my teeth.

Not good.

"Lass, I best believe that yeh need time to rest and recharge. It'll do yeh no good to pass out in a middle of a fight." the robed merchant pointed out as I slumped against a plushy chair in the side room. Man, it felt _good_ to sit down! Bless the cushiony softness! So soft...like a nice bed...

_Ack! NO! No sleeping yet! I need to save Leon! Fist save Leon then sleep...for a good four hours or so,_ I growled mentally as I stretched out on the chair. My spine popped in several places and relief spread throughout my body. Jeez, that felt good. I sighed as I glanced at the merchant and shook my head.

"I know you mean well, but you know I can't stop until I rescue Leon." I said tiredly while checking my ammo supply. I had plenty for the Blacktail and handgun, half for the Riot-Gun and low for the TMP. And seriously low for my grenades. I scowled at the supply on hand. _Well, ain't this a kick in the ass? The cage trap is right around the corner and I don't have the supplies for it!_

"I see that the tables have turned and now yer actin' like the stranger has when worrin' over ya. The two of yeh are stubborn." the Merchant growled, eyes narrowing underneath his hood. "I've already told the stranger this, but it looks like I've got to say it again to ya. What good will that do him if yeh end up dyin' in the process?"

"Nothing." I answered dryly, "But at least I'm doing something. Besides, I've got to beat Salazar's minions to that room before they do in order to prevent him being killed while he's helplessly attached to the wall like a painting." I quickly popped open the attache case and dumped out the spinels, extra Red, Blue and Green Eyes (the ones I didn't sell earlier) and a few Velvet Blues to sell. I then dropped the pouch of pesetas onto the table, went over to the wardrobe, threw it open and grabbed the Mirror with Rubies and Pearls. I returned to the table and pushed the items to sell to the merchant but grabbed one Blue Eye and put it back in the case.

"I'm selling these," I grinned as I removed the weapons and placed them on the table as well, "and I want to upgrade these. Deal?"

The merchant grinned, "Aye, it be a deal."

About an hour later...

I walked away from the little side room with upgraded weapons, a few more First Aid Sprays and a lighter money pouch. I won't get the Chicago Typewriter anytime soon but at least I've got stronger weapons to make up for it. I headed for the door and stopped in front of the typewriter. I glanced at it, looked around the room then back at the little "save" device. I grinned to myself as my hand hovered over the keys and lightly tapped the first letter I wanted...

_Leon and Ada's Room._

My mouth curved into a Chesire Cat grin as I read it. Perfect. If Ada comes back and sees it, I just know she'll blush like crazy for it. I mean, this is the Scarlet Bedroom, everything in this room is red or at least cherry wood. Ada loves the color red and Leon loves Ada. So the room was perfect for them, right?

I snickered as I pictured Ada returning to the room to snoop around some more and finds that little message. I could imagine her stare at the little paper in disbelief and blush red as she looks around the room. _I'm sorry, Ada but teasing you is about as much fun as pissing Salazar off. And who knows? Maybe this little message will appear in all RE4 games around the world!_

I glanced at the little paper. Something was missing. My hands hovered over the keys and quickly typed in another line underneath the first line.

_Do not disturb at around these times:_

I giggled as I left the rest blank for Ada to fill in on her own. Yes... I know that was wrong of me but I couldn't help myself. Maybe this will get Ada to not give the stupid sample to Wesker and revive Umbrella. In speaking of Wesker, I grinned a little as I remembered what I said when meeting up with Ada. I wonder if I surprised him for saying that? I thought back to the moment.

_"Hey, Wesker! Kiss, kiss!"_ _The little red shades shattered into pieces after getting hit by a round from the Blacktail. _

I snickered as I imagined a very confused Wesker staring at his monitor when I spoke those words... I wonder how he'll react to it? Its likely that he'll just stare at his computer and ask himself why is there a girl saying, "Kiss, kiss!" to him for? _Well, Wesker if you must know...I think you're completely cool, cute and sexy! Yes, a lovely powerhouse wrapped in the guise of a man. Too bad there isn't a girl he's interested in. Oh,well._ I pushed open the door to the next room as I imagined meeting up with Wesker. I would _love_ to meet up with him, though I'm not too sure if he'll be thrilled. Heck, it's fun to imagine but I think it's best to not find out.

* * *

- Last Supper Corridor

With a smile and a shake of my head, I rounded the corner of the next room and froze at the sound of..._eating?_ I looked up and paled. There was a large group of cultists in the dinning room, sitting at the dinning tables and a few were serving food. I stared at them, they stared back. One had a lump of bread in his cheek and some of it was sticking out of his mouth.

"Awkward..." I said softly, my eyes shifting from one side of the room to the other. Apparently, I walked in on them at dinner time...I think. Is it dinner time or a _very, very_ early breakfast? We didn't do anything but stare at each other for several minutes in this very embarrassing moment. Several monks looked at each other in confusion, like they didn't know what to do.

_(insert an embarrassing stomach growl)_

I stiffened at the sound of my own stomach whimpering for food. Now that I think about it, it has been _**forever**_ since Leon or I ate anything. And the food that I see on the tables looked _**delicious**_! I sniffed the air a bit, noticing the wonderful smell of cooked food. Is that...chicken! I felt my mouth beginning to water as my stomach complained once more. Oh, god...I'm soooo hungry! And I bet Leon is too.

"Esta la chica!" one monk cried and soon they were all out of their chairs, heading straight for me. I growled angrily at the situation. _Great, now that I know I'm hungry, I don't know if I can fight them all off like this._ I racked my brain for some kind of idea to get out this jam. One popped up and seemed too crazy to do. Well, considering my choices, which really aren't that many, it was better than nothing. But will the cultists fall for it?

Better hope so...here I go!

(Forgive me, Netbreaker0. I'll be adding some music to this chappy for just comical reasons. Song: _Spice Up Your Life_ by the Spice Girls. At least the last bit of the song.)

_"Colors of the world! Spice up your life! Every boy and every girl!"_ I sang suddenly as the cultists froze and stared at me, _"Spice up your life! People of the world! Spice up your life! Aaahh!"_

The monks stared at me in surprise as I began to dance to the silent music that played in my head. A few looked warily at me. _Ohh, they're not falling for it. Damnit...looks like I have to play the sweet, flirtatious girl. __**Ugh.**_ I smiled sweetly at them as I danced.

_"Slam it to the left, if you're having a good time! Shake it to the right, if you know that you feel fine!"_ I sang sweetly, winking slowly at them as I followed the directions to the song, _"Chicas to the front! Ha! Ha!"_ I hopped forward happily two times and in time with the words.

_"Go rouuuund!"_ I cooed, rolling my hips (I think it's called the washing machine?) as I danced in a tight little circle. I guess that move seemed to snap the idiots into thinking that I was entertainment to them. _Yeah, think that. It'll be the last thing you're all going to think!_

_"Slam it to the left, if you're having a good time!"_ I sang out in a laughing manner as if encouraging them to dance with me. It was more like I was laughing because they're actually falling for it. The monks quickly snapped their hips to their left in time with my singing._ "Shake it to the right, if you know that you feel fine!"_ I sang sweetly, shaking my hips to the right as the cultists did the same.

_"Chicas to the front! Ha! Ha!"_ I sang as I turned and hopped twice away from them._ "Hi Ci Ya! Hold tight!"_ They did a weird little dance at the line. I don't know why they did that...maybe they're just weird? Or the Las Plagas in them have finally snapped. _"Slam it to the left, if you're having a good time! Shake it to the right, if you know that you feel fine!"_ I sang sweetly as we redid the routine once more.

_"Chicas to the front! Ha! Ha!"_ I called again and hopped twice away from them, toward the little hall that led back to the Scarlet room. _"Go rouuuund!"_ I cooed, rolling my hips as the monks danced in tight little circles. I timed mine differently. As soon as they had their backs turned to me, I flicked out two Hand grenades in their mist and finished my circle.

Afterwards, I flung myself into the safety of the hall and sang out from there. _"And say 'Boom! Boom!' BYE!"_ The monks were confused and then...

_**BOOM!**_

_**BOOM!**_

The little green grenades exploded, killing all the monks in the room. I grinned as I walked out from my hiding place. I gazed around the mess. "Bye." I purred out as I strode over to the table. The first dinning table was destroyed and littered with bloody chunks and guts. What a waste of food. I collected the fallen items, the much needed ammo for my weapons, a Spinel and two Velvet Blues. I headed for the second table and found it in perfect condition. The food sitting there was still clean and uneaten.

I reached out and plucked a piece a chicken from the main plate. I popped the piece into my mouth and chewed slowly, savoring the juiciness of it. Oh my god...it was soooo good! I popped in another piece of chicken as I looked around the room, it was still relatively the same as the game. There was the locked door that led to the cage battle, I scooted over to the side and peered into the tiny hall. There sat the same damn painting of food that was the key to opening the door. I frowned. Not that I was thrilled to be one step closer to my battle of doom...but at least I was a step closer to freeing Leon.

I stared at the food painting for a bit then scowled. _Oh, fucking great. I forgot the order to shoot that stupid thing. But I know that the wine glass was last._ Yeah, if the rules didn't change it first. I sighed as I walked around, reading the inscriptions on the first one I saw.

_"One last drink and the bottle breaks, returning us to the dust from whence we came."_ I murmured, filing it away in my mind. Yeah, that's the wine glass and its the last one to go. Moving on.

I walked over to the next one. _"Meat to savor the time at hand."_ Um, I think that's the second or third one to be shot. Okay, then...next one!

_"Bread begins the meal of life."_ Okay, I know for a fact that's the first to go! Where's the other one?

_"A dessert to cherish our remaining years."_ Okay, that's an iffy. That could be the second or third one but I don't have time to wonder about it. I need to open that door _now_.

I raced back to the painting and switched to the Semi-Auto rifle and looked through the scope. There sat the painting, silently mocking me for forgetting the code for opening the door. I dislike this puzzle, it had to do with food. What was the Salazar Family's architect jacked up on when he designed this place! I'm surprised that none of the family members died from this... at least I think so.

I pushed the thoughts aside in favor of solving the puzzle. I aimed and recited the words in my mind to help. _Bread begins the meal of life._

_BLAM!_

The picture flipped over and hid it from view, I smacked the bell and the painting flipped back. I aimed..._Savor the time at hand or Cherish the remaining years? Which was next? They both mean the same thing but there must be something different about it..._ My eyes widen. Of course! Food before dessert! So chicken before fruit! I fired at the roasted chicken picture and the painting flipped again. I rung the bell and fired on the bowl of fruit. It flipped and I flipped it back.

I grinned as I aimed for the wine glass, just one more and the door will open... Whoopie doo... _One last drink and the bottle breaks...!_ I fired and the glass on the painting shattered, red wine running on the painting. There was a faint rumble and the door next to me lifted, revealing the room that held the deadly battle. I put the rifle away and as I walked toward the tables. I gazed at the food then at the room.

I wanted to take some to feed Leon and...Luis..if he makes it...and Caleb but there are still two rooms to go through before meeting back up with the agent. I wasn't looking forward to holding out a bullet riddled, blood stained, mashed packet of food. That would no doubt make Leon hurl chunks at the mere sight of it. _Hmm...tricky._ I drummed my fingers on the table as I munched on apple to satisfy my stomach's growl. Only one solution came to mind as I finished the apple and I didn't like it.

I sighed. I would have to leave it here and come back...and hope it's still there when I get back. I frowned at the idea. "Great. I'll be feeding my rescuer cold food." I griped as I shifted through the attache case for the best weapon for the battle ahead. I mentally kicked myself. "Like he would care? At least he gets to _**eat**_ something!"

Right. He's starving right now and he'll eat anything. You can hand him a grape and he'll be forever grateful to you. Okay, time for the cage match...right after making sure I get everything in the area. I peered into the tiny hall that led south of the room. I headed down that way and smashed open a pot and got some cash. I broke open a barrel and snagged a box of shotgun shells for my prize! I reached for the door to the next room but paused. Something told me to leave it alone for now. I didn't agrue with it, I mean, Leon could need those items later on when we come back. Besides, the Broken Butterfly will be a weapon that Agent Kennedy wouldn't pass up on. I walked back to the main room.

Okay, **now** it's time for the cage match! I hugged the Riot-Gun and walked into the room...

* * *

- Last Supper Corridor (Gladiator's Cage)

I trembled in fear as I edged into the room, clutching the shotgun to me. I loathe this room, I always get Leon hurt in here. All because of the stupid cultist that just couldn't stop giggling whenever he was near me. And the Garrador would hear the giggles and come to the sound, thus hitting Leon. I sighed as walked forward slowly.

Well, here goes nothing.

_Cha-chink!_

I jumped at the sudden sound and the sudden appearance of the cage as it dropped to the floor, trapping me inside. The instant that cage dropped, a large group of monks rushed into the room from the door to the next room and surrounded the cage. _Oh, crap! They're packing crossbows!_ If that wasn't bad enough, a couple of monks dropped into the cage...along with the Garrador. I froze at the sight of him. _Ohh, man. I'm not liking this!_

The monks outside the cage began to laugh, glad to see me trapped within it. I gritted my teeth at the sight of the monk that just couldn't shut up. The cultist grinned evilly as he reached for me, knowing that I didn't want to attract the Garrador, who's back was to me. They didn't expect me to fight back, seeing that I was alone in there. _Love to prove you wrong!_ I whipped out my knife and jammed it into the cultist's throat before he had a chance to giggle. He gurgled in shock as he fumbled to remove it. _Laugh now, bitch!_

Unfortunately, as soon as I attacked, the other monks let their loads fly and soon the room was filled with flying arrows. I threw myself to the floor as the Garrador perked at the sounds of twanging crossbows. I threw out my last grenade and covered myself as the Garrador swung his claws wildly in search of the source of the sounds.

_**BOOM!**_

The blast hit and threw the Garrador to the floor as well as destroying the padlock that kept the doors to the cage locked. I rolled to my feet and raced for the unlocked door and kicked it open. The monks scattered from the door and fired their arrows, I managed to avoid the attack. Barely. A few did graze me but I ignored the pain and concentrated in getting rid of the cultists that crowded the room.

I fired wildly into the group, blasting arrows out of the air, knocking over a few enemies and killing a few. And that's when the battle went ugly. Instead of more cultists replacing the few I killed, Colmillos dropped in from the level above and joined in the fight. _Oh...CRAP!_

The infected wolves howled in excitement as I quickly alternated between them and the monks. The zealots laughed as they pressed their attack. I knocked a few arrows out of the air and blasted a few wolves that tried to slink up to me. More wolves and cultists dropped in from the level above and I cursed loudly. At least the Garrador was out of the fight for the moment since was it still in the cage, swinging away like an idiot.

A Colmillo howled and I instinctively fired on it, throwing it back.

_TWANG!_

"_**AHH!"**_ I shrieked as an arrow bypassed my shotgun fire and plunged into an area above my left breast. I stumbled back, dropping the Riot-Gun as pain streaked through me like lightning. My mind went blank from agony as the wolf I fire on earlier leaped back into view, its back bursting open in a bloody mess and several tentacles grew from it. It howled in victory and leaped forward, sending its tentacles at me. I tried to raise the Blacktail at it but it was too fast for me and it began to attack.

The first tentacle slapped the handgun out of my hand and the rest became a blur to my eyes. I couldn't see them but I could _feel_ them as they whipped into me in a blaze of speed. I never felt pain as much as I was feeling now. I threw my hands up in vain attempt to protect myself but it felt as though I was trying to block a hundred hands from slapping me. Over and again the tentacles struck me from all sides as though I was stuck in a pin ball machine and I was striking up a major score.

The wolf continued its tentacle attack, lashing me back and forth in a flurry of swipes. I could literally feel my body beginning to wear under the onslaught, like each strike sucked a piece of my energy away. As suddenly as it started it stopped and I stumbled forward as the wolf leaped back. _Wh-what was going on?_

_TWANG!_

"_ACK!"_ Another arrow struck me, plunging into my right leg this time. I gasped out in pain as I staggered back until my back hit the wall. The wolf leaped back into the fray and picked up where it left off. I cried out despair as the tentacles slapped me back and forth rapidly, draining every once my strength from me. I couldn't stop it and no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't break free.

From somewhere within me, my mind screamed out something incoherent but I felt something shatter from the rapid attack and my own despair. Something mentally shattered within me and I couldn't remember what it was. I could hear the cultists chuckle at the sight as the wolves howled in excitement as I felt my body ready to drop. A scream of pain tore from my throat as one tentacle grabbed and yanked out the arrow in my chest. Another scream rippled out as another tentacle jerked out the arrow from my leg in a cruel manner before going back to pummeling me senseless. A few more seconds and it'll be game over for me.

The Colmillo suddenly broke off once more and I readied myself for another arrow that was surely to come at me. Unfortunately, I never got it and now that I think about it...I kinda wished they did hit me with another arrow. Instead, I got something worse than that.

_"YEAARGH!"_

I snapped my battle weary gaze upward and froze. The Garrador had figured out how to get out of the cage was now currently running at me at full speed, one claw drawn back. I suddenly felt very small and felt as though all the air in my body was sucked out as the blind warrior charged toward me. I growled weakly as I leaned heavily against the wall, pressing up against it as if wanting to melt into it.

_Leon..._

The Garrador only stared at me with rage in its eyes. The cultists grinned insanely as the wolves' eyes flashed in excitement and howled in bloodlust.

_Luis..._

I gritted my teeth, fighting against the pain in my whole body.

_Caleb..._

I squeezed my eyes shut as I bared my teeth, waiting for my end to come.

_I'm sorry...!_

_**Tattattattattattattattattatta!**_

A sudden dull _thud!_ sounded in front of me but I didn't dare to open my eyes.

"Well, aren't you a sorry sight?" a familiar voice called out to me after another cough of rapid fire and a yelp of a wolf. My eyes flew open and I snapped my head upward in shock. _I-it couldn't be! Could it...?_

"Let me show you how a _real_ woman handles it!" The one and only Ada Wong dropped in from second floor and fired her TMP into the group of shocked monks and wolves. The room was soon filled in death screams of the enemies as Ada's TMP tore into them. A cultist grabbed ahold of her and she retaliated with a graceful but powerful Fan Kick, knocking its head clean off.

I snatched at my Handgun to help but saw that she had everything under control; so I just slid to the floor and tried to recover as the Asian woman blasted enemies left and right with deadly accuracy. But it wasn't as good as Leon's though. A few mintues later and soon silence dominated the room. I heard Ada walk toward me and I blinked up at her, tired and confused.

"Th-thanks." I said tiredly as she knelt before me.

"You're welcome." she answered as she looked into my face. She cringed at the condition I was in. "Ouch. They got you good."

I smiled at her, "Wouldn't be the first time."

"Is that right? Where have I heard that before?"

"My guess would be that you heard it from Leon, right?"

Ada frowned at me as I pressed a hand to the wound on my chest, a childish smile playing on my face. "You remind me of Leon if he were girl. The two of you are so much alike that it's scary."

I grinned, "Really? Well, I'll take that as a compliment."

Ada rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Let me see your wound."

I sighed and let my hand drop as she felt around it carefully, judging the amount of damage it caused. I hissed in pain when she pressed lightly on the wound itself and she frowned at it.

"This is pretty deep and its swollen from that lash attack. Not mention from the arrow being ripped out of you. You need to get that healed." Ada said and I scowled at her.

"Well no kid-" I stared out behind her as something moved among the dead bodies of the monks. "-ding..."

Ada looked up at me, "What?"

A heavily pissed Colmillo stepped into view, its green eyes flashing in mad light, its lips curled back in a snarl. It targeted Ada and leaped out in with a howl of rage.

"_ADA, GET DOWN!"_ I yelled as I snapped my gun arm up. Her eyes widen and she ducked under my line of fire. I pulled the trigger to Leon's Handgun, aiming straight for the wolf's left eye. As soon as I pulled the trigger, something within me screamed in dying rage and I suddenly felt cold.

The Colmillo's left eye exploded in a shower of blood and gore as it dropped to the floor a few inches short from Wesker's agent. The lupine's body twitched madly in its death spasm as Ada stared at it in surprise and looked at me.

All I could do was stare at the wolf's body lying in a pool of it's own blood, its remaining eye gazing back at me blankly. My body shook as the Handgun dropped from my fingers and hit the floor with a dull _clunk!_ I stared at the dead animal's body as well as taking in the rest of the room and my eyes went wide. I mean, really wide.

"_OH MY FUCKING GOD!"_ I suddenly screamed making Ada jump slightly in surprise.

"What? What's wrong?"

"_MY PROMISE!"_

Ada looked at me in confusion as I jumped up to my feet, not caring that moving hurt like a bitch. "What promise?"

I raced, more like stumbled, away from the cage room and into the dinning room. I just had to get away from the room and hoped that it wasn't true. But I knew...I knew that it was true.

"Rally, will you stop for a minute and tell me what promise you're talking about?" Ada yelled as I nearly tripped over on my own feet.

I suddenly dropped to the floor on my knees as my body remembered that it was completely exhausted. My eyes drooped wearily as I stared at the floor blankly, tears in my eyes.

"My promise to Leon..." I whispered as I continued to sink to the floor.

Ada raised a brow, "And what _**is**_ that promise?"

"I promised Leon...that I ...wouldn't...lose...my...inno..." I completely collapsed to the floor as the soft black veil of unconsciousness draped over my mind, "...cence...And...I...broke...it..."

I cried and my world went black once again.

* * *

WHOOT! I FINALLY got this chappy DONE! Take that writer's block! I beat you! Ehh...sort of. It's still kinda there. Anyway, I apologize for such a long delay! But yeah, college, writer's block, and playing RE: The Umbrella Chronicles can do that.

R & R please!

And give me some ideas to mold into the next chapter, hopefully something cool that has Rally and Ada working together! WHOO!

For those who are fans of REN (Resurrection of the Nightmare), I'm sorry but I'm almost done with part one of the Project Hunter boss fight! (yes, the chapter was going to be too big for one chappy so I had to break it in half.) But I just need to know. (If you haven't already answered my poll...If I set the damn thing up right) Should I have Alex _**begin**_ to realize her "basic" powers in this fight? ( the kind that Wesker has) ((No, not know that she's a BOW but just realize that she isn't quite normal)) Or is it still too early and should be with held until later?

Thank you, sorry and hope you enjoyed this chappy!

Chat with ya later!


	19. Exhibition Room Gunwar!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists!

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** A New Year a New Chappy! Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! Oh, and I've figured that I'll adding _Holding Out For A Hero _by Bonnie Tyler to the chapter where **I **get captured by the Novistador but I've just can't figure out how to do it. The reason why I placed all the songs you've read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I usually think of songs and sing them in my head when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

**Final Note:** 86 reviews! Wow, that's a lot for just a fic with 18 chappies. *blush* I didn't know that I'm becoming an idol to some of you. *smile* Thank you, you guys are my idols for being there to read my fic. I would love to thank all of you for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic! This is actually the first fic I've written that I believe will actually finish! Cool! I've written a lot of fics but nearly all of them are no where near finished.. or have a clear ending.

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Chibi Leon in his mafia outfit doing his mafia pose) _"Aren't I cute?"_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER! WESKER TOO!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Eighteen: Exhibition Corridor and the Mezzanine

- Scarlet Bedroom

I awoke sometime later to find both Ada and the merchant watching me carefully. I was lying on the large bed back in the bedroom and was covered in some bandages. I blinked at them then lowered my gaze. The wound on my chest was healed, my right leg wasn't and I still had some bad bruising from those lashes. All of those could heal with time but one thing couldn't. There was no way for my innocence to return.

It was dead.

_Oh god, Leon, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You were right. _I realized that I was crying when their images wavered and blurred and I lowered my head to hide them. But it was too late, Ada and the merchant had already noticed them. I sighed sadly and didn't bother to wipe away the tears.

"I failed him." I muttered bitterly as I drew my legs to my chest, much to my right leg's discomfort. The older woman raised at brow at my statement as I rested my head on my knees and sighed depressingly. I just know the agent wasn't going to be happy about this. More like be pretty pissed off to be exact. "Leon isn't going to want to see me again."

"And why in the hell is Leon going to be like that?"

"I failed in keeping my promise."

"Lass, yeh knew that yeh were goin' to have to give it up to save the stranger. I bet the stranger knew it too."

I glared at the merchant and blew out my breath harshly. "Then why did he go and bite my head off when I asked him to teach me how to shoot?"

The merchant sighed, "Lass, the stranger wanted ya to keep yer innocence. But after gettin' caught in the trap, I bet yeh the stranger realized that yeh were goin' end up needin' to defend yerself... by yerself. In case he wouldn't be able to protect ya."

I scowled slightly. "Should have thought of that after the hell crazed cabin deal." I growled then sighed, "Either way, he ain't gonna look at me. I've changed too much to his standards."

Ada frowned at me. "And no one gives a shit about his standards. He can stand there and bitch that you've changed all day but tell me... Do you feel that you've changed?"

I didn't miss a beat. "Uh, yeah! I felt as though someone reached in and killed some part of me!" I snapped, "Did you expect me to be Mary fucking Sunshine?"

"If you did turn into a girlish woman who runs around throwing flowers after shooting something, then I'll think that you seriously flipped." the Asian shot back, "But other than that, I think you haven't changed a bit. Now get off your sorry ass and let's go save Leon."

I turned away slightly and lowered my gaze. "I can't."

Ada scowled, her patience running thin. "What the hell do you mean _"you can't"_?"

I growled as I threw up hands in anger. I climbed off the bed and limped my way to the foot of it. Ada and the merchant followed and stood behind me as I turned around and faced them. I wobbled a bit but settled most of my weight on my left leg. My right was barely touching the floor and still hurt like a bitch. Damn the cultist who fired that fucking arrow and the wolf that ripped it out of me. I gestured to myself, showing off the bandages and my wounded leg.

"Does it _look_ like I'm battle capable?" I snapped, "I can barely walk! Let alone run!"

"Complete bullshit. You're making those excuses because you trying hide the real reason." Ada snapped back, "Now fess up."

I sneered at her. "Why don't you fess up first?"

"We're not talking about me, honey. We're talking about you and why you don't want to so much as stick your nose out of this room."

I hissed angrily and clenched my hands into fists. It took everything I had from just jumping Ada and throttle her but... She was right. I was making excuses to hide the real reason. The real reason as to why I feared continuing even though Leon was just a couple of rooms and one hallway away from where I was. I paced, more like limped, across the foot of the bed as I juggled the idea of actually telling them the truth or giving out another lie.

I voted for another lie but I knew that Ada would be able to sniff it out easily. She's made a living by telling lies and can lie with the best of them. Hell, hook her up to a Lie Detector, let her lie through her teeth and the damn machine wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Besides, why in the hell should I even give her an answer? She ain't gonna care, she's going to backstab Leon again anyway. Ungrateful bitch.

I didn't see the need to explain myself.

"What's the real reason why you won't go on?" the Asian agent asked dryly as she shifted her weight to her right leg. I grinned just as dryly as I stretched my right leg carefully, wincing at the pain still coursing through it. _Okay, you want answer, Ada? Then fine, you got one._

"None of your fucking goddamn business, Wong." I answered acidly, earning a glare from her. Her gaze harden as she picked up her TMP. I bristled as she walked toward me with the weapon in hand. Was she going to try to point that thing at me and tell me to move? If she was then...wounded or not I am going to kick her Asian ass.

She said nothing but reached over, grabbed my arm and jerked me behind her as she marched toward the door that led to the Last Supper Corridor. I yelped out in pain since she just grabbed one of my badly bruised arms, and I pulled back, trying to break free. Though that move was basically useless since I only had one fully functional leg and I was still pretty weak from those attacks. That and Ada had anger on her side.

"_OW!_ Hey! What the hell are you doing?" I yelled angrily, "Let go of me!"

"Stop bitching. We're going into that next room." Ada said coolly as she dragged me to the door. Despite the wounds I got, I pulled back, slowing her down. I struggled for bit then was finally able to break away from her grip, stumbling backwards. It was either that or she let go to watch me fall on my ass. I disappointed her in that department as I stopped myself by stopping my momentum...with my right leg. I winced and bit my lower lip to keep from crying out in pain. I quickly shift my weight to my left leg and glared at her.

"Me bitch? What about you, _bitch_?" I hissed as I rubbed my arm, the one she grabbed, gingerly.

"_What_ did you call me?"

"You heard me. Anyway, I'm not going anywhere with you-" I griped as I turned away from her, limping back to the bed. I suddenly felt the barrel of a gun pressed to my back and heard the safety being taken off. I froze as the gun rose a bit higher, to the spot where the bullet could hit my heart.

"You're coming with me to save Leon whether you like it or not." the Asian growled and I stiffened angrily.

"I know." I hissed dangerously, not bothering to look at her, "Ada, you fucking bitch in a red dress, you didn't let me finish! I _was_ saying, 'That I'm not going anywhere with you without Leon's gear.' Unless, of course, you're going to protect me the whole way through."

Ada lowered her weapon and I continued to limp back to the merchant. "Besides," I called over my shoulder, "I need to know if the Punisher is fixed yet."

After a bit of time, I gathered my stuff, carefully arranging them so there wouldn't be too much weight on my right leg. I spoke with the merchant for a bit and finally got the Punisher back. And man, did he do an excellent job. It was repaired back to perfection, Leon wouldn't be able to tell that it had been damaged at all. Nice.

Ada tapped her foot impatiently as I limped back toward her. I scowled at the Asian woman as I bypassed her and entered the next room. As we walked along side by side back to the cage room, Ada fished out a piece of paper and held it out to me. I scowled again as the parchment obscured my line of sight and I pushed it away, not wanting to be bothered.

She dangled it in front of my face again and I growled. "Ada, get that out of my face right now, or I'll cram it down your throat."

"I'd love to see you try with a injured leg. Besides, this is yours." she replied coyly then lowered her voice, "Nice joke. Don't try it again."

I glanced at the paper, read it and grinned. Ahhh, so she did find it. And apparently, she's trying to keep in a blush that threatened to emerge on her face. Now that I think about... I should tell Leon this and see what his reaction will be. Hmm... probably act the same as Ada.

"Don't even think about it." the Asian muttered.

_Damn it. _

"You're lucky, you know." I replied as we walked though the dinning room. Ada didn't say anything, merely keeping herself busy by walking. I sighed, not noticing that she didn't voice anything. "At least Leon doesn't yell at you for doing something wrong."

Again, the Asian didn't say anything so I continued, "I mean seriously, why did he go and bite my head off over for a simple shooting lesson? I'm almost out of grenades and he refuses to let me know how to shoot? He knows that I can help much better if I knew how to shoot, that way I can cover him if he needs to go somewhere and protect myself without being blown to bits."

I ranted on for a bit longer, ranging from Leon being irrational to the agent being a little overprotective. I was basically sharing my frustrations of Agent Kennedy to Ada and she made no comment. I continued my rants about the adorable government agent to the Asian, who remained silent through my talkings. Was she really listening to me or just tuning me out?

Wait... do I even care if she was listening? No, not really. If she was listening then good for her. If she wasn't then no big loss, I can just vent my anger about Leon on her and she won't be able to recall anything later on. Whoopie-fucking-doo. We reached the cage match room and began to clear the room of its valuables, taking what we would need later on... at least what Leon would need.

As I entered the cage and popped open the little red chest on the pedestal for its treasure, I sighed sadly. _What right do I have to be frustrated with Leon? It was his job, his __**mission**__ to keep me safe and get us back home. I'm not really helping him out by running around, lobbing grenades while screaming in pure joy about all of this. _I stared at the reflective surface of Hourglass' glass in regret.

"Are you thinking about Leon?" Ada suddenly asked but I didn't jump just sighed.

"Yes, no..." I mumbled, "Actually I was thinking about myself. About how foolish I was acting."

"Really?"

I nodded, "Yeah. The entire time I was trying to help Leon, I was actually putting us both in danger." I smiled grimly. "It was Leon's mission to make sure I stay alive long enough for us to get home but I wouldn't let him do his job. I kept getting in his way to help because I didn't want to be a burden to him."

Ada inclined her head from the looks of the glass. I took it as a gesture to keep going. "I thought if I totally depended on Leon for protection and guidance then I was just being dead weight to him. That he would have to keep looking over his shoulder constantly to make sure that I was okay and following him. With everything else going on I didn't want him to always worry about me so I wanted to help." I narrowed my eyes at my own reflection. "But I realized that I wasn't a burden..."

"And what were you?" the Asian questioned patiently.

"A hazard." I answered with a hollow laugh, "A walkin', talkin', breathin' hazard to Leonardo Scott Kennedy. Not exactly something a hero should rescue. I sometimes believe that he shouldn't have come for me."

"Now you're being a little too harsh with yourself." Ada said, "Even if he wasn't sent for you, he still would have come..."

I turned to her as I packed the treasure away. "For someone who nearly got him killed in nearly every place we go? Come for someone that got him nearly crushed to death twice; nearly blown to bits with a grenade, shot with arrows, his ribcage crushed in by a mace twice; and almost got him skewered by a Garrdor." I countered dryly.

I continued before Ada had a chance to say anything. "Yeah, I'm being really hard on myself. I mean, if I can do that much damage to him just _trying_ to rescue me... Then imagine what I can do to the cult by staying in their clutches? If I'm lucky, a hole will open up underneath them and the earth can swallow them whole. Oh, and did I mention that he got caught in a trap meant for me?"

The Asian sighed as we entered the next room. "So you feel the same way, huh?" she mumbled as she closed the door behind us, even though I wasn't sure if she really said it or not.

* * *

- The Exhibition Corridor

We entered the next room and heard them before they heard us. Ada narrowed her eyes as she sidled quietly toward the edge of the platform and looked over the ledge. She counted up the cultists that stood at the bottom of level chanting and after her quick count, she slinked back. She slid back to me while keeping an eye on ladder. The Asian woman looked back at me and seemed to consider something.

"Do you have Leon's rifle?" Ada asked and I blinked in surprise then nodded.

"Yeah..." I answered, giving her a suspicious look.

"Good. You can snipe them."

"What?"

"Take Leon's rifle and snipe the enemies below us so we can flip that switch."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?"

"No. You don't look like the fun, joking type, huh?" I said dryly, "You hang around Wesker too much. All work and no play will make you a very dull wife for Leon."

Ada scowled at me, "I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

"And I'm going to pretend I didn't see your cheeks turn as red as your dress."

"Be quiet and shoot."

"Love to, if my fear of becoming a crazed gunslinger girl weren't bubbling up on me now."

The Asian glared at me, dark eyes flaring. "For the love of...just deal with it!" she hissed angrily, "Your innocence is dead, so what? Your job is to get your sorry ass to Leon and get the fuck out of this castle alive with him. The only reason why I'm helping you is because at this point you're weak and pathetic. Now stop whining and kill those freaks or you can spend the rest of your life in this part of the castle by yourself. And have nightmares of what happened to Leon since you were too afraid to go down one fucking room!"

Silence ensued for a time as I stared at her, completely shocked by what she had just said. And for the first time... I had nothing to snap back and why would I? She was right. She was right about what was going on now. I _was_ afraid to keep going even with all the information of the game in mind...I was still afraid to go. And for most of the time I was alone looking for Leon... I was whining. Whining to getting this over and done with quickly... and trying to keep my innocence intact and I've realized that what the Merchant said was right. To free Leon... I had to give up my innocence. And considering the situation we were all in... I would give up my innocence a hundred times over.

Keeping silent so not to anger Ada again, I crouch-walked halfway to the ledge. I took out the Semi-Auto rifle and looked through the scope. I aimed for the red robed cultist and noticed that my aim was a little shaky then remembered I was still hesitant about killing.

_Ooh, not good._

I tried to push aside the uneasiness and took aim again. I concentrated and fired off a shot... and missed the red zealot's head completely. Ada frowned at me and I gave her glare, mouthed her to fuck off and aimed again. But as soon as I did, I pulled back and laid myself flat on the floor. The Asian looked at me strangely, so I yanked her to the floor and motioned her to keep quiet. Reason? One of the cultists had lifted his head to the ledge and was basically staring at me. But thankfully he seemed drunk. Maybe a little too much red wine at the Last Supper Corridor?

Wait... are they allowed to get drunk?

We didn't hear the tell tale signs of being spotted, so I peeked over the ledge and saw that the cultists weren't chanting, they were celebrating something. The red leader held up a bottle of red wine and spoke sluggishly to his group. I tried to listen in as the drunken group spoke and laughed, chugging down their wine. I never seen wine disappear that quickly and I don't drink. Ada tilted her head in confusion as she tried to determine what they were saying. After a bit of time, the Asian gave up and looked at me as I strained my hearing to translate their slurred words.

"Well, what are they saying?" Ada asked quietly as I stared at the group.

My jaw dropped and scooted back from the ledge and stared out in space. "Oh my god..." I breathed in dismay, which alerted Ada. She stared at me, dark eyes bearing into my own chocolate brown ones and that told me she wanted to know. "They found Leon!" I whispered to her and her eyes went wide.

"_What?_" Ada hissed lowly. "They found Leon and they're celebrating? The only way they should celebrate is if they killed him."

I shook my head, "No, I don't think they have killed him."

"And why is that?"

"Well, they can't reach him. We're on the second floor and Leon is clapped to a wall on the first floor. Unless they're willing to break their legs, they can't get to him. So he's safe..."

The Asian sighed, "He's safe unless they called their buddies to finish him off."

"Right." I replied as I rubbed my temples with one hand and gripped the Semi-Auto with the other. From what I remember of the game, I know for certain that they did call in their buddies to pick up "Ashley". So that meant they did call the other cultists to kill Leon.

Not a good thing.

"Question is..." Ada grinned dryly, "Are you willing to put aside your fear and go get him back?"

_Good question. I don't know if I'm ready to start killing again. _I sighed and handed the rifle to Ada so she could kill off the drunken idiots while I tried to sort out my thoughts. I know that all the fangirls are willing to wring my neck for hesitating on saving Leon but... it's hard to break through your fears. Knowing that just using game experience.. you can take lives and when you look in a mirror, you are labeled as a living weapon. Not exactly a good thing for someone who wants to make games for a living.

Ada was aiming and sniping the drunken zealots as I kept an eye on the door behind us. I toyed with the Blacktail and sighed. _I'm not even sure if I'll be able to fire a weapon at the cultists anymore. I may end up just running from them for now on._ I shook away the thought. _No, come on. I have to save Leon!_

"Rally, go ahead and flip that switch. I'll stay here and snipe anyone that may try to get you." Ada called and I nodded as I headed for the ladder. I quickly scurried down the ladder and headed for the switch to flip it.

"Ahí están!"

I jumped and whirled around, expecting the robed enemies right behind me...and they were... on the other side of the barred wall. A shield wielder and a normal one were on the other side and were strangely walking towards me. Yeah, like they were going to phase through the bars. I stared at them with the 'what-the-hell-are-you-doing' look and felt like capping them but damn it... my fear is still with me.

So, instead I decided to ignore them for now and activated the switch. The hidden platform on the floor rose up and leveled off with the upper ledge. It locked itself into place above me and created a path to the door that led into the hallway where the merchant should be.

_**Tattattattattattattattattatta!**_

I snapped my head to the ledge as the Ada's TMP went off. I quickly scaled the ladder and looked on at the battle in front of me. _Son of a fucking bitch... I forgot about this! _Several cultists had broken down the door and were trying to corner Ada and failing miserably at it. The Asian woman was pumping them full of lead and keeping them back.

Ada looked at me and gestured to the door on the other side of the room. I nodded and raced for it, knowing that she wanted to me to go on. But stopped short as shield wielding cultists burst through the door. I leaped back in fear and held the Riot-Gun at them but couldn't pull the trigger on them. I quickly switched to the Blacktail, aimed upward and fired several times before finally hitting the oil lamp hanging above them. The lamp shattered and rained its burning liquid on the group of enemies. I quickly turned away as the zealots screamed out in agony as they danced about in the flames.

Wesker's agent had already cleared her area and was yelling at me to get over to where she was, her dark eyes wide. I looked over my shoulder and my jaw dropped at the scene taking place behind me. A larger group of cultists were pushing the burning ones aside to get through the walkway and coming out of the burning enemies were the Las Plagas in the third form. The Las Plagas scuttled across the path quickly, coming straight for me as they led the other cultists into the battle.

I raced across the carpeted platform back to Ada as my mind raced for anything logical as to what was going on. And to find away to get rid of them beside me killing them outright. Damn, fear... Though, I doubt there was another way. _Jesus Christ! Where did they come from? There sure as hell weren't that many enemies before in the game! This was supposed to be an easy deal! Run in, blast a few zealots, flip the switch, blast a few more then go through the damn door! Why in the hell did they have to come at me like this is an all out gun war?_

"We need to get out of here!" Ada yelled as she kicked aside a dead monk that was blocking the door. I caught up to her, whirled around and threw a Flash grenade at the group. The third stage Plagas shrieked as they died from the sudden burst of light. The zealots cried out in surprise as they stumbled about at which a few fell over the sides of the platform. The Asian woman fired into the ones that were still on the platform and killed a few... at least the ones she was able to tear into.

"And go where?" I griped as we ran back through the cage match room, "There are cultists the other way we came!"

"And how would you know?"

"Hello? They're chasing after me and Leon, remember?"

"We'll head back to the merchant. He's got more than enough fire power to help us wipe them out for the time being."

I sighed and nodded in agreement as we blitzed through the dinning room and heard the enemies chasing after us. You know... this may be a bad time to question something like this but... I gotta know. Why is it always the guys chasing after us? I mean... this is a castle and surely thre must be some girls working here. Where are the female cultists? Or at least the maids? Wait... never mind... Salazar's weird... and gay, so he only hired guys. Eww...

We burst back into the Scarlet Bedroom and startled the merchant, who getting ready to leave the room. I took him back to the side room as Ada moved along behind, keeping her TMP trained on the door. I quickly told the merchant about our situation and asked if he would help us. The merchant had no problem in helping us out and removed his pack to bring out his weapons.

I brought out my grenades and noticed his weapons and frowned slightly. "Hey, how come you don't sell those to Leon?"

The merchant grinned slightly from behind his scarf. "These are me personal weapons of choice, lass. Uzis are very hard to come by... legally."

_**Tattattattattattattattattatta!**_

"Looks like they're here." I mused as Ada's TMP tore into those getting through the door. The merchant and I joined her in the fight...well sort of. I kept behind them and lobbed Flash grenades as necessary while the merchant and Ada poured out the rounds. The two alternated between shots so that one could cover the other as they reloaded.

I was about to toss another Flash when suddenly I felt a wave of pain pulse through me. My throat went dry as my lungs flared in pain. _No! Not again!_ I went into a coughing fit and dropped my unarmed grenade. I stumbled back, coughing like crazy as I wrapped one arm around my waist to suppress the pain while I covered my mouth with the other. Ada took a quick glance at me and her eyes went wide as I fell to my knees coughing harshly.

The merchant told her to check up on me while he kept the zealots at bay. I could tell she was reluctant to do it but didn't make a fuss over it. She rushed over and knelt next to me as I coughed, my throat feeling like it was on fire. The coughing fit stopped long enough for me to gasp as another wave of pain pulsed through me. Was this what Leon felt when he crossed the lake? I cried out in pain and coughed up another splash of blood at which Ada's eyes widen in horror.

"Ack!"

I coughed out some more blood as the Asian woman looked up in surprise. I struggled to do the same and saw that the merchant had been hit by an arrow, which was buried into his shoulder. He stumbled back and fell in pain as the cultists advanced into the room. And one of them was about to kill him.

"Merchant!" I cried out, the pain subsiding to a bearable level. As the cultist readied another arrow into the crossbow, I decided at that point that I had no choice but to change. Everyone is going to be killed if I don't and it'll be all my fault. Besides, it was silly of me to try to keep a promise that no one in the world was able to keep. No one is capable of keeping their innocence, it's human nature to lose it.

The zealot readied another arrow and aimed it at the down merchant. The monk grinned crazily as his finger curled around the trigger and the merchant growled angrily.

_**Cha-cha...BOOM!**_

The monk was blown back before he had a chance to pull the trigger.

"Get the _**fuck**_ away from the merchant, you fucking trigger happy maniac!" I snapped and fired on another cultist that tried to sneak around. "Ada! Get the merchant!"

_**Tattattattattattattattattatta!**_

"All right, just let me clear a path!" Ada called back as she fired into the crowd as she walked over to the merchant. He managed to get himself up as Ada covered him and I covered her with Leon's trusty Riot-Gun. Scared little Rally is no more instead the real Rally is back in action! The merchant quickly retreated to where I was and Ada sidled back as well. I glared at the enemies as I aimed the shotgun at them.

"Alright, who else wants to piss me off and die for it?" I hissed acidly, swiveling the weapon between the zealots. The cultists only grinned and giggled hysterically. "Okay, so that's all of you in a coffin? Great! Please step into range."

They dumbly rushed forward and the three of us opened fired on them all.

_**Cha-cha... BOOM!**_

_**Ratatatatatatatatatatatatata!**_

_**Tattattattattattattattattatta!**_

Screams of pain echoed through out the room and after a few seconds, silence dominated the bedroom. We put away our weapons as the monks melted into the carpet. Ewww... Oh, great! They ruined the bedroom by melting into the carpet. Well, it'll give Leon and Ada a chance to decorate the bedroom how they like it. I turned to the merchant with a worried expression.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I placed the Riot-Gun in its strap on my back. The merchant grinned as he gripped his wounded shoulder and I noticed that he had already pulled the arrow out. _Ouch._

"Argh... Heh... It's nothin', lass. Nothin' to get worried 'bout too much." he chuckled, grimacing in pain. I sighed in relief as Ada pulled out a First Aid Spray and held it out to the merchant for him to heal himself with. Which surprised me, didn't he -like- have a ton of those himself? I asked him what happened to his supply and he told me he ran out. He only had enough to heal the wound on my chest and a few of the gashs that the wolf had given me. Ah, that explains why my leg wasn't healed but I wasn't going to heal it myself just yet.

I looked around the bedroom and noticed that I had missed picking up the _Female Intruder_ file and quickly snatched it up to take with me. After a bit of rest and reloading, we went back to the Exhibition Room, though I stopped at the Last Supper Corridor to pick up some food for Leon to eat. We headed back to the last room Ada and I were at and I told them to stay and I'll take care of the room. Ada stuck by the merchant and I went across the walkway to get the items on the other side of the room.

I walked along the platform and noticed at the two idiots were still walking into the barred wall and I sighed. I pulled out the Semi-Auto and aimed it at the shield wielder first. I looked through the scope and tried to locate the head since he kept the shield angled upward. I picked a spot to shoot and fired. I guess I must've hit his heart since the cultist crumpled the minute I hit my spot with the round. Hey, whatever works, y'know? I shrugged and aimed for the unarmed cultist. I fired and blew his head apart.

I reached the other side, sniped the another crossbowman, looted the platform I was on and jumped down. And there in front me, on display for the world to see... was the Rocket Launcher! Now, who in their evil right mind would place a weapon in a frail display case for the enemy to use? Obviously, not Salazar. He wasn't right in the head the moment Saddler asked him to open the freaking seal that bound the Las Plagas. Whatever, the Launcher now belongs to Leon.

I broke open the display case, raided the smaller items and carried the Rocket Launcher with me. I broke open the locked door and rejoined Ada and the Merchant. Together, we walked across the walkway and entered the hall. The merchant told me to get the Attache Case XL from his pack. I did so and moved everything into it, including the heavy Launcher. I took my items from the Leon's old attache case and placed them into the large one. I gave the smaller one back to him and dropped off the money in the pack.

I turned to Ada, "Ada, you need to get out here."

The Asian raised a brow, "Why?"

"Easy. One, I know you don't want to be around Leon when he starts asking questions about what you've been up to. And two, you don't want to be caught by the enemy, now do you?"

A flash of disappointment of not being able to see Leon crossed her eyes for a second then was quickly replaced by her normal attitude. "Alright, I see your point. Besides, I need to find Luis as you know."

I sadden only a brief second, but thankfully Ada had her head turned away. "Luis... right." I muttered, "Well, be careful on your way back. Salazar could be coming, okay?"

Ada grinned, "Yeah, sure."

She turned and walked away but paused and looked over her shoulder. "Rally, remember this. There are times to run and times to fight. The only reason why you feel as though you changed is in fact because you chose to fight. Your innocence is gone and there's nothing you can do to bring it back but now you're a fighter. An equal to Leon and he'll see it soon enough as you prove to him that you've changed for the better." She paused and grinned again, "And take care of Leon for me in his mission, okay?"

I blinked in surprise at her words. The Ada I know barely says a sentence or two, this is a new Ada. Perhaps she's changing for the better too? Or is it because I changed her a bit by exposing her false face? Who knows? "Yeah, sure. I'll be sure to keep Leon alive for you two to see each other again."

Ada rolled her eyes heavenward and left. I turned to the merchant and sighed. "Though I still don't think that Leon is gonna like the new me."

The merchant ginned slightly, "Lass, the stranger will understand that yeh did what ya had to do to survive." His grin grew wider. "Besides, yer still yerself... just under a new wrappin'."

"Think so?"

"Know so, lass."

"Alright." I muttered, "Anyway, I want you to hide as well. I don't want Saddler seeing you."

"Saddler's comin'?"

"Yeah, I know he's coming this way. He's chasing after Luis and Luis will be coming here. I need to free Leon and switch places with him before the two get here."

"Alright, lass. Good luck."

I sighed. "Thanks. I'm gonna need it." I turned to the door that led to the Mezzanine room, the very room Leon is at. I sighed again and tried to calm my fearful heart. Will I be able to save Luis? Keep him from being killed by Saddler, the jerk who caused all of this? I had a feeling about the meeting that was about to come after I rescue Leon. A bad feeling. I shook myself out of it, gathered my courage and pushed open the door.

Time to see what was in store for us all...

* * *

Whoot! I finally finished this chappy! Thank the Muses that inspire us all to be authors! Anyway, I apologize for dragging this chappy on for so long and keeping you guys waiting. I can see you guys looking for me to update... I hoped you enjoyed this long chappy and pray that I don't take too long to update again!

I've got a special treat for you guys in the next chapter!

Chat with ya later!

Wait... hold on. Don't go anywhere until you guys at least give me a review. A lot people read my fic but don't leave a review. I can't do a better job unless I know how you liked the chapter. I use reviews as way to improve my writing to keep you guys on the edge of your seats!

See that little purple box that says "Submit Review"? It's on the bottom left hand corner of your screen. See it now? Good. Click "Ok". Go on. Click it. Now type in what you like (or don't like) about the chapter and submit it. See? Wasn't that easy? Don't glare at me like that. You're not gonna break your fingers by typing in a few sentences, now are you? Besides, I always reply to my reviews!

Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

...Okay, now you can go now.


	20. The Mezzanine and Oh My God!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists!

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** A New Year a New Chappy! Thank you dear readers for reading this fic and your lovely reviews! Oh, and I've figured that I'll adding _Holding Out For A Hero _by Bonnie Tyler to the chapter where **I **get captured by the Novistador but I've just can't figure out how to do it. The reason why I placed all the songs you've read so far in the fic, is because it's my personality. I usually think of songs and sing them in my head when I get nervous or something. It just helps me calm down.

**Final Note:** 93 reviews! Wow, that's a lot for just a fic with 19 chappies. *blush* I didn't know that I'm becoming an idol to some of you. *smile* Thank you, you guys are my idols for being there to read my fic. I would love to thank all of you for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

**Authoress' Thanks: SaberTooth and Wolf, Misty Maxwell -** Thank you so much for being the first ones to read my fic! I wouldn't have continued if you two hadn't reviewed for the first several chappies! **Netbreaker0 - **Thank you so much for giving me some tips on how to keep the story flowing without making it boring! **AdaLeon -** You're so nice and helpful! I thank you for helping me have fun while in a stump! It helps me get over writer's block. **TheGirlToIgnore -** Thank you for being there for me! And being cool to hang out with! Say hi! to your sister for me! **(All other readers)-** Thank you for just being there and reading my fics! You guys are the highlight of my life! You guys rock!

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Chibi Leon posing as Wesker) _"Who's bad?"_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER! WESKER TOO!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Nineteen: The Mezzanine and Oh My God..!

- Mezzanine Hall

I sighed as I entered the new room, nervous on rescuing Leon. Will I accidentally hit him with a stray round from the Semi -Auto Rifle? And how in the hell am I going to get him out of the first floor, let alone switch places with him? I frowned slightly. Now I wished Capcom had placed a ladder or something in here... maybe a rope at least. I shook my head to clear the thoughts. Now is not the time to be whining, Luis and Saddler will arrive soon and Leon has to be _up here_ before then.

_TWANG!_

I stifled a cry of surprise as I looked toward the central platform, the very platform I have to be on to release Leon. There was a drunken zealot holding a crossbow standing on the platform. I considered just waiting here for a bit and hoped that he would shoot himself in his drunken stupor. Either this guy was drunk from celebration of Leon's capture or he was one of the alcoholics that found his way into the wine cellar. Wait... I peered a little closer and noticed that the cultist was aiming his crossbow. The deadly arrow tip angled downward...aiming what should be...

"Oh, hell no!" I growled as I quickly brought out the rifle and aimed it straight at the zealot. "Dead cultists, say huh?"

Startled, the monk looked up to me and you guessed it! Said "Huh?"

_Blam!_

The headless monk toppled over the side and splattered all over the floor below.

"Rally?" Leon's voice called up to me and nearly brought me to tears. Man, it's been too long since I heard his voice! "Rally, is that you?"

"Yeah!" I called back tearfully as I went around the side to stand on the platform. And still strapped to the wall was the adorable government agent. "Thank god you're okay!"

He blinked up at me, eyes wide. I blushed a little as he stared at me, taking in the new look I had donned to rescue him. And I don't blame him, I mean, come on I look like him! I sighed inwardly at myself. _Yeah, if he were a twenty year old Texan girl that's half Mexican from her father's side of the family. _Anyway, he was taking in my new look and probably half wondered where the hell I went to when he was caught in the trap. Well, I don't blame him for thinking that either, I _am_ wearing his gear and appeared as though I came through a World War III while he was dozing away.

I had the Riot-Gun strapped to my back, the Blacktail and Punisher in their holsters, a survival knife in the sheath, grenades circling my waist, and the Semi-Auto rifle in my hands. The rest his of stuff was packed neatly in his brand new attache case that I had placed on the floor. I looked like a guerrilla warfare mercenary to him. That or Sarah Conner from _Terminator 2: Judgement Day._ But I have to admit... having Leon stare at me like that... it made me feel cool. It felt as though I was truly his equal in battle...

"Is that really you?" Leon asked, his blue eyes still wide.

I grinned slightly as I struck a pose with the Semi-Auto. "Hell yeah! All one-hundred percent of me, baby!" I winked at him. _That's a lie. I'm more like ninety percent, my innocence is gone... but I ain't telling Leon that._ "So what you do think?"

Leon gave me a slight sad smile, "Like I'm staring at myself if I were a girl."

I returned the sad smile, "I'll take it that you still need time to get used to it. But first, let me get you out of there."

"That would be nice. I'm tired of being a wall ornament." the agent agreed then looked a little nervous as I reloaded the rifle, "Do... do yo know how to use that... properly?"

I smiled as I removed most of his weapons, the body-strap and his leg holster as I swapped out the Punisher for his old handgun. I kept my survival knife, my leg holster and my attache case. I placed his gear in a neat pile next to his new case. I kept the smile as I cocked the rifle and looked through the scope. I zoomed in on his face and saw that he was serious about my handling the rifle. I aimed it to the left and lowered the barrel slightly, trying to keep the bands in my sight.

"Leon, please trust me. I've used the rifle before and know how to handle it, okay?"

"Alright, I trust you. I always have."

"Thanks. Now... don't move."

**BAM.**

_Chink!_

**BAM.**

_Chink!_

**BAM.**

_Chink!_

Leon stepped away from the broken trap, unharmed. He stretched out to get the blood flowing through his body again as he gazed at the broken bands. Apparently, he couldn't believe that I nailed each one, only missing once and that I could handle the weapon fairly well. He grinned up at me then a thoughtful look crossed his face.

I knew exactly what he was going to say and I had no clue on how to help him. How in the _hell_ am I going to get him out of there? I sighed inwardly at the puzzling situation. I'm running out of time here, Saddler and Luis will be running through the door in a few minutes, how am I going to switch places with Leon? I could easily drop to the first floor from here... but judging from the height... I'll live but with a broken leg. Not a good thing to have while trapped down there and away from Leon. Besides, we're seriously gonna be slowed down if I do break a leg. Again, not a good thing to have while running from these guys.

But even if I do get down there without breaking anything, there's still the matter of getting Leon to the second floor. Though, having the agent with me during the dungeon detour will be helpful but then he wouldn't know about the pills and have the rage to seek and kill Saddler. Which he needs to do badly, because if the fucker lives then this process will start again with some other girl. And that's a major no-no. As fun as it is to run around with super sexy Leon as your guardian angel, being taken over by a slimy parasite tends to ruin the fun. As well as the possiblity of dying a gruesome death.

The blonde agent continued to look at me and I could tell that he was a little sad to see me change from who I was before. But there was also a hint of pride in his eyes and I smiled a little at that. I guess he was proud of me for going through a lot to rescue him so he could finish his mission. I laughed softly, the merchant was right and now I have to prove to Leon that he didn't have to worry about me so much.

"Figured out on way to get me out of here?" Leon asked, "Don't stress yourself though, I see a door I can take. Just toss me a weapon and I'll meet up with you."

I shook my head, "I don't think so, Leon. I betcha the door is locked and I don't have the key to give you." The agent opened his mouth to object but I was quick to counter. "And no, I don't think you should blast the door open. The doors here are pretty sturdy and thick, so I don't think you would want to waste ammo trying to blast your way out." I grinned slightly, "Besides, you'll give away our position in the castle if you do. Remember, we want to keep a low profile so Salazar can't find us."

Leon grinned, "I see, nice thinking." He bit his lower lip a little as he thought. "How am I going to get to you if I'm locked in? We can't stay here forever, Salazar's bound to find us sooner or later. We need to be out of here before then."

I sighed, "I know but I don't see a way to get you out..." I looked around the room in search of something to use, but I didn't see anything of use. Unless I can toss him some of the furniture around here and he can try to stack them up and climb out like that. Well, that'll be fun to see but I doubt there's enough to get half way out. Crap. I tapped my foot impatiently as I took another look around the room. _Running out of time. I'm running out of time here! Those two are gonna be here in just a few minutes and Leon's still down there! Damnit! _

I lifted my line of sight to avoid Leon's worried blue gaze. I didn't like it when he starts to get worried, makes me feel like we're both gonna die. Let's see what we have here... Um, there's a high ceiling, arches, more high ceiling, dull ceiling paint and ohh, surprise! A high ceiling. Salazar needs to get a decorator and needs to get one now. This room is bland and broken. I rolled my eyes at the thought and smirked, remembering that Salazar's gonna die soon and the castle can belong to Leon. Yay, for the agent and soon to-be-bride, Ada! _Yeah, as soon as Salazar hands over the deed._

But then a flash of violet caught my eye when I rolled them. I tilted my head slightly to the right and saw large ceiling drape hidden behind an arch. On, from where I'm standing, the right side of the room. I grinned and began to head that way, Semi-Auto in hand. Leon blinked in surprise at my actions.

"Where are you going?" the agent asked, "Did you find something useful?"

"In order of asking, not far just to the right side of the room. And yes, I found something we can use to get you out of there."

"Great!"

I walked toward the door that I'll be emerging from soon enough and turned around. There hanging on some rope was the violet colored drape and from the looks of it, long enough for Leon to grab. I just hope its strong enough to hold him up. It looked pretty damn old. I lifted the rifle and aimed for the rope binding it to the ceiling. I shot them off and the drape whispered down to the marble floor.

I snatched it up and tied one end to the Semi-Auto, leaving the rest on the floor next to me. I swung the rifle to the other side of the pillar I was next to, went over and picked it up. Then I untied the rifle from the drape and tied the fabric to the pillar as securely as I could, but only enough so that Leon can climb out. I had it loose enough so that it'll pull apart when I climb down.

And I had a plan to get down there without rousing Leon's suspicion. I could knock over one of the handguns off the second floor, volunteer to go get it and climb down. And once I'm down there, I'll grab the gun, tug on the drape hard enough for the knot to become undone. And viola! I have successfully switched places with him! But he'll be pissed later on if he figures it out. I sighed inwardly. _Well, I can worry about that later. Now I need to get Leon out of there._

I finished the loose knot and threw the rest of the drape down to Leon's level. I heard him laugh and praise me as he started climbing up the drape. I kept the fabric secure and waited for him to be within reach so I could help him up. As I helped the agent heave himself up the ledge to the second floor. I heard the door in the hall open and close. _Shit. Luis is here!_ But I didn't hear any footsteps. I guess he's catching his breath from running. Good, I need the time.

Leon brushed himself off, thanked me and walked over to his gear. I followed behind him, silently urging him to move faster. _Come on, Leon, move that ass of yours a little faster! Luis is almost here! _My eyes widen in remembrance. _ACK! I'm not down in the first floor yet! SHIT! _I scrambled to grab Leon's first handgun to chuck it over the side for the excuse but _**fuck!**_ the damn thing got stuck in the holster!

I glared at the gun and holster as I silently struggled to pull the weapon out. Yet, it refused to remove itself from the leather holder. _God-fucking-damnit! Why? Why now?_ I heard the footsteps but Leon was oblivious to them, too focused on equipping his gear back on himself. _FUCK!_ Frustrated, I unclipped the holster, closed my eyes and chucked it over the side, grinning that my plan was gonna work -

-Until I opened my eyes and saw that the damn holster got itself tangled to my forearm.

The footsteps grew closer and I glared at the items still holding onto me, my right eye twitching in rage._ Oh, come ON! Will you let go of me and be useful besides firing bullets? _I silently snarled at the items and wished they would get off and throw themselves over. _I just know someone hates me for this to happen! These things are doing this on purpose to piss me off! _Leon pulled on the last of his gear as I shook my arm wildly to get the holster and gun off. _Come on, come on! Let go! Let go! Let go! Just. Get. The. Fuck. Off! At least fall to the floor before-_

The door opened with a _creak!_ and Luis and Caleb stepped into the room. I drooped at sight of him and the dog, half pissed and half sad.

"Leon!" Luis said happily, relieved to have found us.

_Too late..._

Leon turned and smiled at the sight of our friends still okay. I turned and forced a smile at them as the agent began to walk in his direction. The holster and gun suddenly dropped to the floor, untangled from my arm. I glanced downward and scowled. _Oh, great. __**Now**__ you let go. Fucking things._ I picked them back up, clapped it around my leg and followed Leon. Maybe I can still alter his fate and have him come with me in the dungeon.

"I got it!" The Spaniard grinned as he lifted his items for us to see. I listened closely for the signs of Saddler coming but heard nothing. Maybe Luis gained more ground than him? Great! We can leave before he gets here and Luis can stay alive!

Leon grinned as he stood in his spot I remembered from the game as Luis basically stood on his death spot. But maybe I can move him here to avoid being skewered by mad cult leader. I ran up to him in a quickly hug as Caleb barked happily to see us both okay. The Spaniard returned the hug and I tugged on his arm to get him to walk away from the open door. _Come on, let's get over to the "safe side" and keep you alive._

I was able to get him in front of me and I began to push him toward the blonde agent and hopefully get them moving to the next area or something. Caleb pawed on my leg, whimpering for attention and I stopped to give him some, smiling at the two in relief. At least I got them away from the open doorway.

"I'm so glad to see you both! Right, Caleb?" I cooed as Luis smiled after turning around to look at me. "Who's a good boy? You are!"

"Muchas gracias, Rally." Luis grinned as I petted the white dog, "You were right, he was helpful!" (Thanks a lot!)

Leon grinned as well, "Well, she was worried about you and I'm glad that you took the dog at her request." the agent pipped up. He nodded to the small cuts Luis had on him, "I can see that you guys have been in a few scrapes while you were away."

The Spaniard nodded, "Yeah, we ran into a lot of Illuminados on my way back."

"I can imagine, the place is crawling with them." the agent agreed as I stood and looked at the two.

"Yeah, it's best to keep moving and get out of here as fast as possible." I said then clasped my hands together and smiled at Luis. I closed my eyes and continued to smile. "I'm so glad you two are alright! Now we can stick together as a group and move on!"

Suddenly, it was eerily quiet. I didn't hear Leon, Luis or even Caleb. I opened my eyes to see what was up and saw that they were staring right behind me and my eyes widen. I felt a shiver go down my spine as Caleb began to growl softly. _Oh, how could I have been so stupid! I knew he was coming but still had the nerve to keep them here! Fuck!_

Another chill ran down my spine as I saw the two men tense at once. Luis suddenly grabbed me, pulled me close, spun around and shoved me toward Leon. I stumbled back, falling into the agent's arms as we both (including Caleb) stared in horror as the Spaniard's body jerked awkwardly. I screamed in horror, realizing what was happening. _NO! Nonono! LUIS!_

A sharp claw at the end of some disgusting tendril erupted from Luis' chest, flicking some of his blood at us. I wailed in sorrow as the claw forced its way out a bit further. The tendril hoisted our friend into the air and coming into view as the flailing Spaniard rose, was the cult maniac, Saddler. Our friend gasped out in obvious pain as he rose higher, his body relaxed enough in preparation of the next wave of pain. Unfortunately, the grip in his left hand relaxed too much and the Sample fell from his fingers-

-and into the outstretched hand of Osmund Saddler, the catch echoing off the walls of the room. The jerk had the nerve to smile cruelly as Luis began to scream in agony from the impalement.

_"Luis!"_ Leon cried out in shock, holding me close to him. Sera screamed and flailed wildly as his body went into shock from the trauma. Saddler seemed to smile down at the little vial of purple liquid lovingly and threw our friend to the floor like a broken toy. Luis arched his back and his hands curled like claws as pain pulsed through him like an earthquake. His cries of pain turned into gurgles as blood flowed from his mouth.

I screamed angrily and flailed violently against Leon's grip, wanting to rip the cult leader to pieces myself. The agent looked at me in shock as I snarled and clawed the air in front me in vain attempts of killing our enemy. To him, I guess I looked like some wild beast gone mad. I hissed and thrashed, trying to break free and see if Saddler is as invincible as he says.

"_Luis!_ Let me go, Leon!" I shrieked angrily, "Let me go and _**I'll**_ deal with the asshole myself!"

Leon stared at me in shock and held tighter. "Are you _fucking_ crazy?" he yelped, "You're only going to get yourself killed!"

"Not if I kill him first!" I snapped back still clawing the air in front of me as Saddler grinned away like an idiot. _Scratch that..._ grinning away like a _**dead**_ idiot!

"Calm down! He wants you to get riled up!"

He was right but I didn't care. Luis is dying right now and I want to make Saddler pay for it! I lifted my left arm up in an attempt to force Leon away but he saw and grabbed my arm to stop me-

-just like I hoped he would. And since he doesn't have the Tactical Vest yet...

I whirled around and grabbed his shoulders forcefully. His blue eyes were wide in shock as I drew him close and rammed my knee into his stomach._ Sorry, Leon. I know you're right but I just can't let Saddler slide from this! At least not without a scratch!_ The agent gasped in shock and pain as the air in his lungs rushed out from the force of the blow. He stumbled back and tried to regain his wind as I whirled back around with my survival knife in hand and snarled angrily at the cult leader.

_"Son of a bitch!" _I shrieked as I charged forward in blind rage with the hand-held weapon in hand, ready to stab it into the Spanish maniac.

_"RALLY_ _WAIT!"_ Leon yelled out breathlessly but I was far too upset to listen. The tendril that impaled Luis, shot forward once more and Caleb leaped at it to protect me but was slapped aside. I dodged it and kept running. And it turned out to be a bad move, since I dodged the appendage, it suddenly curled around me like a snake. I struggled against it, my knife arm trapped at my side as the tentacle pulled me closer to Saddler so that I could be taken away. I flailed and kicked wildly to free myself so I could harm the cult leader. Or at least try to kick him in the head.

Saddler grinned at the agent holding both the Sample and me in his clutches. "Now that I have the sample and the girl, you serve me no purpose." he sneered at Leon as the agent glared at him and bared his teeth a little. I was finally able to free my knife arm and twirled the weapon in my hand so that blade pointed downward.

"You got the sample but you ain't getting away with me!" I shot back and slammed the blade into the tendril that held me. Saddler snarled angrily in pain and reflexively hurled me aside, the slimy, blood-drenched tendril retreating back into his body.

I flew through the air, shocked that I was thrown into the center of the room. I heard Leon cry out in horror then raged at the cult leader. Then fear struck me like a cold slap to the face as I began to fall. _Ahhh! Too high! Too high! Gonna hit the floor! Gonna die! Wait... The drape!_ I looked over my shoulder and noticed that I was close to the drape. I gulped in anxiety. _My only chance...! _I twisted in mid-air and scrambled through the empty air to grab onto the violet fabric. My fingers brushed at the fabric but couldn't grab it. So close but not close enough! I reached out with my blade and stabbed the drape and sliced through it. I quickly grabbed one of the billowing parts of the drape and held on, slowing my fall.

Sure enough, the fabric held and completely stopped me from falling flat to the floor. I held the drape tightly and sighed in relief. _Okay, now I know its best to listen to Leon from now on._ I hung there, clinging to the drape for a few seconds before the knot came undone and I dropped to the floor painfully, landing on my right leg. Yeah, that's pretty damn painful. The drape billowed around me as I laid on the floor, allowing my body to cope and waited for the pain to subside. _Well, now I know that knot came undone. Great..._

_"Saddler!"_ Leon snarled as he took a threatening step forward, rage blazing through his blue gaze. The cult leader frowned at him and snorted in disdain.

"My boy Salazar will make sure you follow the same fate." Saddler sneered, gesturing to the dying Spaniard on the marble floor. He turned and walked away, still smirking. I crawled to my feet and looked up in horror as Leon started after him but stopped, torn between chasing down Saddler or helping Luis. He obviously chose to stick by Luis and see if he could keep him alive.

"Stay with me Luis." Leon said as tried to search of a way to stop the bleeding. Blood began to pool around our friend's body and dripped in front of me. I strained my hearing to listen to the Spaniard's fading voice, sad that I could not be up there and hold Luis' hand in his last hour. I cursed myself for being so eager to get at Saddler. _Damn it all! If only I had listened to Leon... I screwed up again! _

"I... am a researcher... hired by Saddler." Luis gasped out brokenly, "He... found out what I was up to." He chuckled lightly then grimanced in pain. I fumbled around for a First Aid Spray then chucked it up to Leon. He caught it and looked at me in confusion. I gave him a 'sorry-for-hitting-you' look then quickly told him to use it to see if we could keep him alive. The agent nodded and returned his attention to Sera

"Don't talk." the agent said softly as he held up the little spray can. Luis whimpered in pain and shook his head at our attempts and knocked Leon's hands away. The little white can flew from the agent's grip as he looked at Luis in surprise, confused as to why Sera was refusing help. But I knew why. It was too late, the damage was too severe for the First Aid Spray to work. _No... We can still make this work! All he has to do is hold on..._

"Luis, _**please**_, hold on! Don't give up!" I called from the first floor, tears forming in my eyes. "Just hang on a little longer! The merchant is just outside the door! He can heal you! Like he did before at the cabin!" Sera grinned slightly at the memory but shook his head again, ignoring my plea.

"Here..." Luis hissed through the pain, placing the small jar of pills into Leon's hands. "It should suppress the growth of the parasite." The agent took his hand and listened carefully, now knowing that Luis was trying to tell them something. "The sample... Saddler took it. You _have_ to get it back."

Silence dominated the room after those words. _No! No...no...no...!_

"Luis?" Leon called in alarm but the Spaniard failed to answer. _"LUIS!"_

Again, Sera didn't answer.

The agent bowed his head in grief as I wailed out in sorrow, dropping to my knees and not caring about the pain streaking through my right leg. After all that hoping and praying, even having Caleb with him... I couldn't save him in the end. No matter what I do...nothing seems to come out right. Why? Why can't I get things right? Just for once I wish I could do something right on my own and I thought this would be it, that I could save Luis from his death. But I couldn't even manage that...

"Luis... Noooo..." I cried as I hugged myself and stared at the pool of blood that had splashed on the floor in front of me. _I'm sorry, Luis. I'm so sorry! I thought... I really thought that I could help you. I tried...believe me I tried so hard... I thought and tried so hard to keep you safe and alive but... But in the end I failed... Please...forgive me..._

"They'll pay for your death, Luis. I promise." I heard Leon say and I lifted my head, tears still cascading down my face. He stood and looked at the jar in sadness. I sniffled and blinked at the jar. Luis... gave up his life to get us those pills. He gave up his life to at least ensure that we make it out alive...and parasite free. _Thank you._

Leon wiped away his tears and picked up the Semi-Auto and looked at me with sadness. I stood quietly and wiped at my eyes to erase the tears. I can cry later... maybe... but right now, we need to get the hell out of here. And those zealots are taking their sweet ass time coming here. I want them hear _now_ because one, I can go get the ass end of the stupid mural and two... I feel like shooting something.

The agent sighed as he inclined his head slightly in thought. "We need to move on, but how am I going to get you out of there?"

Just then a door slid open and a group of cultists rushed in. Perfect. Leon noticed them and looked at me. And out of reflex, yelled, "Rally, get out of there!"

"Trapped inside remember?" I called back, "Besides, we can take these guys out!" I brought out the handgun and took aim. Leon aimed his Semi-Auto and we both fired at the group. I covered one side as he took on the other, making short work of them. I dug around in my side pack for another clip for the handgun as I grinned up at Leon, who sort of gawked at me.

"What?" I inquired as I slapped in a fresh clip. "Merchant taught me, I trained for a few hours then got a real crash course looking for you."

He shook his head as he smiled slightly at while I grinned at him. I guess changing can be good for someone. Right then, the doors slid open once more to allow more cultists to flood the room. A red leader raced in and pointed at me, yelling the same old line again. Geez, can't they say something else for once? Leon noticed a few carrying crossbows and aiming for him. He motioned me to cover him as he sniped the ones coming close to me. I nodded in agreement and fired on the crossbowmen to divert their attention from the agent.

After a few minutes, the super happy cultists were wiped out and left me and Leon alone in the room. I spotted the key, ran toward it and picked it up. It was gold and elegantly done but not worth keeping to sell off later. Oh, well. Not that it'll matter, we got enough money to last us awhile and plenty of treasure to steal in this lovely castle. Won't Salazar be pissed? I can just imagine him jumping up and down, throwing a hissy fit for all the stuff we stole. Hey, he wasn't using them.

"Well, Leon. I've got the key, so I'll see you soon, okay?" I called to him as I walked toward the door that led to the Servant's Quarters.

He stared at me. "Are you serious? You want me to wait here while you run around and face unknown horrors?" Caleb had recovered from the slap and was currently sitting next to Leon, looking at me in confusion. Apparently, the dog didn't think I was going to be okay by myself.

"Yes Leon, I do expect you to sit there and wait for me." I replied dryly.

The agent scowled slightly, "I've waited around long enough as it is."

"I know." I sighed, "But the door up there is locked and you can't get to me directly unless you jump off that platform. And that'll do us no good if you break your leg."

Agent Kennedy's frown deepened, "I'm supposed to be protecting you and I can't do that if I stand around and hope you come back alive." I sighed as he went on about him supposed to be doing his mission but unable to do it if I don't cooperate with him. Caleb drooped his ears as we both went into an argument about how to rejoin. He kept throwing ideas about it but each one had me staying in the room. And I kept rejecting each one. Hadn't he gotten the idea yet? I didn't go through all that shit, sacrificed my innocence and changed how I was just to be treated like a fragile doll!

We both gave each other sharp glares, neither of us wanted to back down. He waved his hand at Caleb still insisting that I take him with me. I would love to, truly, but were I'm going... a dog is no match for the mini-adventure ahead. I shook my head and told him that I didn't want to. Leon narrowed his eyes and scowled.

"Come on, take him with you. At least to give me some peace in mind." the agent growled as he placed his hand on the white dog's head. My eye twitched in annoyance at his stubborn nature. I'm flattered that he's _that_ concerned for me but he should know that I can take care of myself... to a degree. Didn't he notice how I handled the Semi-Auto? How I was able to keep the cultists at bay with a handgun? I scowled at him, my patience wearing thin. _Ada was right, I have to prove to him that I can do this!_

"Leonardo Scott Kennedy!" I snapped sharply, fed up with his over-protectiveness. "I already know what I'm about to go up against! I've been facing it the entire time I was running around looking for you! Now shut up and let me do this!"

The agent stared at me, surprised by my outburst. He blinked his wide blue eyes at me in astonishment and I had to struggle to keep myself from laughing at his expression. It was completely adorable and I had to concentrate to keep up the fact I was still mad at him.

"Now Caleb is gonna sit right there with you as you both wait for me, okay? I have a weapon and a box of ammo with me." I held up the handgun for him to see. "I'll be fine, okay? Are we clear on that?"

Leon wiped the shocked look from his face and frowned, blowing a few loose strands of dirty blonde hair from his face. An annoyed look took over as he looked at me, crossing his arms over his chest. After a few seconds, he gave an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes heavenward.

"Fine, I read you crystal clear. We'll both wait here and hope that you don't run into trouble." he muttered angrily. I smiled slightly, he was still worried about me going it alone and to tell the truth, I was too. Not about the dungeon but the fact I was going up against Las Armaduras...with a handgun. But I know I can do this. Just solve the puzzle, grab the Serpent Ornament and run like fucking hell.

I smiled sadly and slapped in a fresh clip to the weapon. I looked up at the agent and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for being like this. I know you're just worried and want to keep me safe. But where I'm going, I don't think Caleb can handle it. So, please, trust me. I'll be okay."

Leon didn't look convinced but nodded anyway, a slight smile on his face. "Alright, I'm sorry too. I know that you can handle yourself now but that doesn't keep me from worrying over you."

"I understand that completely. It's just how things are right now." I said as I walked to the door then paused and pointed to his attache case "Before I forget, there's food for you two to eat. I'll be back soon."

"Thanks." The agent grinned, "Just be careful, okay?"

"I will."

I gave them both a smile and waved goodbye then turned to the door. _Okay, I can do this. Just do the three things. Solve, grab and run. Solve, grab and run. Wait... I have to kill the two cultists in the rooms first. Okay, let me rephrase that. Shoot, solve, grab then run. Shoot, solve, grab then run. Right, let's do this!_

I headed up to the door, unlocked it and stepped through...

* * *

- Hall Maze (unknown part of castle)

_The fuck?_

I looked around in confusion at the new area I had walked into just prior of unlocking the door. There was a wall to my right and a hall to my left and no doors. _Okay, this is a problem. Just where in the fuck am I?_ This was never in the game. The door that Ashley goes through in the Mezzanine was supposed to lead directly into the Servant's Quarters, not some hall! I scowled as I headed down the hall. _Great, just fucking great. I said it before and I'll say it again. Ashley, you lucky bitch. _

I sighed as I walked along the hall, keeping an ear out for cultists. The corridor turned right and I followed it, wondering if I was going the right way. _It better be, since its the only one there is and it better lead me to the servants' rooms. If not, then I'm screwed. _I growled softly as I continued on my way. _If this doesn't lead me to where I need to go then I'll never reunite with Leon and get out of this castle! Damnit._

The hall opened up to a very large, dimly lit room...if you could call it that. To me it looked as though the hall led me to another series of halls. I hesistated as I stood before the three other corridors and a bad feeling crept up my spine. The more I studied them, the more I realized what I was in. I scowled at the halls as I tapped my foot impatiently. I was in a maze, no two ways about it. A goddman maze in a killer castle, what more can Salazar want? _Oh, yeah. Let's not forget that he wants to marry you, girl. _I shuddered. I would rather get lost in here than end up as that freak's wife but I have to get out of here to meet up with Leon. I sighed and picked left, hoping for the best.

~ Two hours later...

_Is this the door?_

I opened the door and stared at another zealot, face to face. I blinked at him and he stared right back. Then he hissed and lunged for me and I slammed the door shut in front of his face. _Nope. Wrong door!_

"Lo encontré!" (I found her!)

I whirled around and saw that the group of cultists had found me again. _Ah, damnit! I thought I lost you guys!_ I sighed harshly and ran down the hall in attempts of eluding my pursers. For the past couple of hours I was running around lost and ended up bumping into a few cultists while looking for a way out. And those zealots were chasing me all over the place while I was looking into doors and hoped that I would find the right one.

And each wrong door held a monk standing there. Why they were doing it, I have no idea. Maybe they found that staring stupidly at a door was very exciting for them until they found something else to occupy them. Like, say, chasing me around?

At first, when I ran into a monk I would quickly dispatch it without question. Until I found that as I did so, I was burning through my ammo with each encounter. So I had no choice but to run from them and get them lost in the maze. Why? Well, I now only have two clips left and more than a dozen zealots after me, so I figured it was the wisest choice.

"Puedes correr, pero no te puedes esconder!" (You can run, but you can't hide!)

I glared at them over my shoulder. "No, but I make you go blind!"

I chucked a flash grenade behind me and into their midst. The little blue grenade went off and the hall filled with a harsh bright light. The monks screamed in pain as they stumbled about blind, searching for me through they haze of bright light. Two actually bumped into each other and started to strangle one another. I would love to stay and watch them kill each other but I got a door to find.

"Ahí está!"

"Aw, hell. I thought I got rid of you guys too." I muttered as I spotted another group of cultists rushing toward me from some other hall. I grinned and waved at them. "Sorry to jet, but I'm in a hurry!" I chirped out a quote that came from _StarFox 64._ I quickly ran like crazy from where I was and zipped among halls to get the group confused and if I'm not careful I could end up lost again, which there is a good chance of that happening anyway.

I hurried down one hallway and paused, looking over my shoulder. So far, the cultists had yet to catch up or got completely lost in the maze of corridors. I stood still to catch my breath and wondered where the dungeon room was. How can I get the piece and meet up with Leon if I can't find the damn room?

Suddenly, I heard faint voices coming back the way I came. I turned and backed away from the entrance of the hall, ears perked for the slightest hint that may tell if the enemies knew where I was.

As I backed away, my back hit something hard and thought that I had hit a wall... if the walls were warm, slightly soft yet firm at the same time. I stiffened, thinking that I just backed into a zealot. _Well, this isn't good._

"Well, well. What do have we here?"

I instantly froze, my brown eyes wide as I tensed in fear.

_No. Fucking. Way._

"Now...what was it that you said earlier?"

I trembled as I recognized the voice instantly. Never in my life did I know that this was going to happen. I gulped and edged away from the body that I had bumped into._ Shit...shit..._

"Ah, yes... now I remember."

I whipped around and stared in horror at the person that stood behind me. That person gave me a leering grin in return and I started to back away, unable to grasp the situation. Unable to grasp that this was real and I was in deep shit.

_Oh, my fucking god...! _I continued to stare, too scared to say anything, let alone make a snappy remark. The person stepped closer and continued to give me the dangerous smile that sent chills running up my spine. I continued to back away slowly, staring at the person that I wished and didn't wish to bump into.

I had crossed paths with...

"Kiss, kiss..."

Wesker.

* * *

WHOO! How's that for your treat! Yup, Wesker's there! I bet you didn't see that coming, now did ya? If you did then good for you!

Anyway, now that Wesker's there, how will he affect Rally's chances of reuniting with Leon? How will she escape from him and find the Serpent Ornament? Will he follow her?

I don't know... it's a surprise!

Chat with ya later!

Wait... hold on. Don't go anywhere until you guys at least give me a review. A lot people read my fic but don't leave a review. I can't do a better job unless I know how you liked the chapter. I use reviews as a way to improve my writing to keep you guys on the edge of your seats!

See that little purple box that says "Submit Review"? It's on the bottom left hand corner of your screen. See it now? Good. Click "Go". Go on. Click it. Now type in what you like (or don't like) about the chapter and submit it. See? Wasn't that easy? Don't glare at me like that. You're not gonna break your fingers by typing in a few sentences, now are you? Besides, I always reply to my reviews!

Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

...Okay, now you can go now.


	21. Wesker And The Puzzle Room Knightmare!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists!

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** I am SO sorry for taking so damn long with this chappy! You see... I got the new Smash Bros. Brawl game for the Wii and it overtook my time. That and I had trouble (writer's block) concerning Wesker. So I had to take time off and play Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles for inspiration. And replay Ashley's Adventure in RE4 several times for ideas. So again, I apologize for taking long! I hope you enjoy this chappy and furture ones!

**Final Note:** Over 100 reviews! Wow, that's a lot for just a fic with 20 chappies. blush I didn't know that I'm becoming an idol to some of you. smile Thank you, you guys are my idols for being there to read my fic. I would love to thank all of you for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

Everyone gets a Leon bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Chibi Mafia Leon tips hat and sings the song _Kryptonite_)

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!! WESKER TOO!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Twenty: Wesker, Servants and the Puzzle Room Knightmare!

- Hall Maze (unknown part of castle)

_Well, ain't this a kick in the ass?_

I gulped a little and watched him closely as Wesker continued to give me his dangerous smile. A smile that will make any Wesker fangirl swoon and sigh, a smile that any of us is willing to die to see. Only now I'm no longer admiring it from in front of a TV. No, I have the real thing right in my face and usually bad things happen to those who see that smile. And he still had those famous shades on his face. _Like Wesker is gonna show up without those on? Wesker ain't himself without them. _And from behind those lovely black shades, his reddish-gold cat eyes were focused solely on me and knowing that sent another chill down my spine.

I shivered absentmindedly and stepped back from him. Wesker's smirk grew a little wider as he took another step forward. I didn't know why but from the way he was acting, it reminded me of how a cat plays with its prey. Toying around with the frighten mouse before eating it. I mentally rolled my eyes. _Duh. He does that with Chris all the fucking time. Toy with the guy then try to kill him, so far Chris the mouse has been lucky in getting away from Wesker the cat. _But right now, I'm the mouse that has been caught by the clever feline and I know Lady Luck ain't with me. If she was then I wouldn't be in this mess right now, would I?

"Wesker..." I growled softly, trying to sound brave but I knew Wesker saw through it. He's seen enough of that fake bravado with Chris. The human BOW let out a charming dark chuckle, the type that made me want to tackle and cuddle this guy all day. I bit the inside of my cheek and glared at him. _Keep fangirl thoughts in check! Keep the fangirl thoughts in check! Remember, Wesker no like touchies! _

"Ah... so she does speak." Wesker purred darkly and I could imagine him with a pair of cat ears and a tail. Ohh, pretty... and yummy... I wanna pet him..._ GAH! No fangirl thoughts! Bad fangirl thoughts! BAD!_ He kept his charmingly, dangerous smirk on his face as he watched me. "Interesting. Where are your smart remarks?"

"With you, it's best to keep those in check." I said evenly, narrowing my eyes. "As I know, you have a low tolerance for snide remarks."

Wesker inclined his head as if pleased with my answer. I hope so, I don't want him strangling me for accidently pissing him off. "I see, wise choice, Miss Nightshade."

"Rally, if you would..." I began then paused as I suddenly remembered something. I looked at Wesker then skimmed through my memories of the game. The realization hit me like a blow to the gut. _What the hell is Wesker doing here anyway!? Wasn't he susposed to be waiting for Ada in his hideout somewhere in the world?_ I glared at him slightly, trying not to provoke him too much. "What are you doing here, Wesker?"

Wesker tilted his head slightly with a mischevious smirk playing on the corners of his mouth. He took another step forward and again I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from blushing. I'm sorry, okay?! Geez, it's not my fault that the Japanese create hot guys like him! I bristled and slid back a step. I gave the hot and sexy ­-_Gah! Damnit!- _human BOW a scowl. _For the love of God, Capcom, why'd you go and make Wesker so damn attractive?! First Leon and now him! Argh, being a girl sucks at times!_

The former STARS member continued his lovable smirk as he took another step toward me. "Well, what a surprise... you should know why I'm here." His smirk grew a little more, "And I thought you knew _everything._"

My eyes widen at the statement as I stared at him in disbelief. "How did you know?" I growled angrily then bristled as my mind immediately thought of Ada. _Did Ada give him the tape after all!?_

Wesker chuckled darkly again and again I had the urge to tackle him and rub his abs. _Damnit, quit being so desirable! I'm one chuckle away from ripping your jacket off, Wesker. Don't make me tackle you._ "You didn't honestly believe that I only had speakers on Miss Wong's sunglasses, did you?"

My murderous thoughts toward Ada disappeared as soon as he said that. _So, he planted another set on her. _I growled, "I honestly did believe that. Where did you hide the other set of spearkers?" I grinned slightly, "In her bra?"

Wesker grinned, "I'm afraid that trick won't work, Miss Nightshade. Revealing the location of the speakers would spoil the fun." He stroked his chin thoughtfully, "Although, you're examination on Ada is remarkable. It seems that Leon _is_ going to be a setback on my plans."

I paled as I stared at him. _I'm not hearing this! Jesus, did I just give him reason to...?_ Wesker's grin turned cruel. "You see, to get what I need for my goals, I need Miss Wong's undivided attention on her work. And since Leon is the cause of her..._"distractions"_..."

My chocolate brown eyes widen in horror as my mouth opened slightly in shock. _I did just give him a reason to send __**him**__ after Leon! Me and my big mouth! I have to warn Ada...!_

"Dónde está?"

Startled, we both turned to the voices of the monks coming near us. They weren't that far from our position and getting closer. I glanced at Wesker from the corners of my eyes and from the looks of it, he was judging just how close the zealots were. As much as I love to stay here and banter with Wesker all day, I got a room to find, a puzzle to solve, suits of armor to run from and a guy to meet back up with. And a woman to warn. So, sorry Wesky!

"Acá! Acá! Estoy acá!" I yelled out, hoping that the monks could pin point the source of my voice because from the looks of things... Wesker's not happy. His smirk disappeared and was replaced by the frown all Wesker fangirls know and love. I suddenly felt pressure around my neck and realized that his leather gloved hand was wrapped around my throat. I let out a squeal of surprise at the action; his motion was so fast that I didn't even see his hand move. It was like his hand just _poofed!_ itself around my neck! (Here! Here! I'm over here!)

"_That_, Miss Nightshade, wasn't very wise." Wesker said dryly, angling his head toward me. The pressure around my neck increased slightly and I noticed that his grip wasn't rough or ruthless. It was just firm like he was making sure that I didn't run off. And I also noticed that his grip was only firm enough to clearly say that he meant business. _Oh, great. The idiots aren't here and I think I just ticked him off! Man, I hate my life sometimes._

"Agárrenlo!"

Again, we both turned to see the groups of cultists had found us. I saw Wesker tighten his jaw at the sight of them and I felt bad for having to ditch him here. I did a quick mental count of grenades and realized that I had only about six Flash grenades left and about three Incendiary ones. Not good. I glanced back at the group of cultists that started chanting as they ran toward us.

I bit my lower lip as I thought about the plan I had to get away from Wesker and the group of monks. I sighed inwardly. _Having a low supply of grenades sucks... and so's this plan. But I don't have anything better than that. Great._ I quickly and discreetly as possible took a flash grenade from my belt loops and armed it. Wesker was too distracted to notice, hopefully, and kept his focus on the oncoming group of crazed monks. Well, better get this done and fast!

I took a deep breath and let it out shakily, still nervous about my plan. Wesker didn't look at me, just raised his brow at the action of the monks' strange chanting as they continued to bare down at us. What was Wesker going to do? Protect me and fight them off then let me run off to rejoin Leon? _Tch. He ain't that nice. _Or was he going to kick some spanish ass, kidnap me and interrogate me for information? If he does the latter, and duh... he will, I'll never see the light of day again. I stared at him and chewed on my lower lip again, knowing that I must be out of my mind to think this up; but then what choice did I have?

Right. I had none.

_Man, he's gonna be tweaked..._

"Hey, Wesker-!" I sang out, poising myself ready to run.

Wesker inclined his head toward me with an irritated look on his face. "What?" he asked dryly. I winced. _Yeah, he's gonna be pretty ticked..._ I quickly reached up and snatched the shades off his face while at the same time flicking the blue grenade to the floor.

"Think fast!" I yelled just as the group of cultists reached us at the same time as the grenade hit the floor. I slipped the shades on my face, thus protecting my eyes as a bright light filled the tiny hall. I saw the anger blaze in Wesker's feline eyes just before the grenade went off. _Oh, yeah...he's pissed. _I felt his hand release my neck as he yelled out in pain and fury from the bright light. I turned on my heel and fled down the hall.

I looked over my shoulder as Wesker roared in outrage and thrust punched the nearest cultist while temporarily blind. That cultist slammed into a wall and his head cracked open from the force of the impact. I winced. _Man, he's __**fucking**__ pissed!_ I blitzed through the halls and stumbled upon a door that was colored differently than the rest in that hall. The doors I had tried before and where I am now were made of dark wood. This one was made of light wood.

_Could this be it?_

I froze in horror as I heard Wesker beat the crap out of the cultists from somewhere in the maze, then his rapid footsteps coming along the same path I took. Wait... he could memorize the halls I took!? I glanced at the door in front of me. Could this be the door I was looking for? It better be, I got a pissed off Wesker coming for me!

I threw open the door and leaped in and then quickly but quietly closed the door behind me.

* * *

- Servant Quarters One

I turned around and gazed around the room I was now currently in. _I hope this is the right room._ I thought bitterly, _Let's see what we have here..._ There was a fenced off feminine statue in the center of the room, a yellow herb in a corner, a tiny hall that led to the next room and a type writer on a small table. Was this the Servants Quarters? You bet it is! Ding! Ding! We got ourselves a winner!

_Ugh. Finally! I can get on with my life! Stupid room and the crazy ass castle!_ I shook my head as I removed Wesker's shades and put them in one pocket. I collected the yellow herb in the corner and stuffed it into my attache case. A Spinel glinted next to me on a table, so I snatched that up and dropped it in my case. I walked toward the tiny hall and looked into it, noticing that the monk was staring into a fireplace for some odd reason. Why he was doing that no one knows... or cares. All I know is that the Las Plagas are a weird group of parasites that should see the light of day... without human hosts to shield them from the sunlight.

I raised the Handgun and was about to fire but the typewriter next to me seemed to call out to me. I lowered the weapon as I glanced at little save device. I fingered the keys as I thought about what to type. I let my mind wander as I gazed between the typewriter and the idiotic monk. Then it hit me... I knew what I wanted to type! I tapped on the keys as quietly as I could while keeping myself from laughing. I stepped back and admired my work. It was cute, not the greatest thing in the world but still cute.

_"Albert Wesker is sexy,_

_Leon Kennedy is cute._

_Ada Wong kicks ass,_

_And Jack Krauser is a traitor,_

_While Ramon Salazar goes insane,_

_Osmund Saddler is pain!"_

Like I said, not the greastest thing in the world but I find it cute. I left it alone and turned back to my oblivious target. The monk was still staring into the fireplace. I looked at my weapon and sighed. I didn't have too many shots left and I need to keep as many as I can with me to at least defend myself from the walking suits of armor. Well, let's see. In the game Ashley fends off zealots by tossing two lamps at each cultist to kill them. Hmm...two for each one? Well, what if there's a flame that can match or surpass the damage of two lamps?

I grinned as I raised my gun at the monk. Oh, yeah. I got it!

_BLAM!_

The monk staggered forward in pain before falling to its knees. I raced up and kicked him into the fireplace, making sure to get as much of his body into the flames. The zealot snarled in anger and pain as he flailed about in the fireplace. He managed to roll out of there, get to his feet and lunged for me. I leaped back as he finally succumbed to the fires and died. I scrunched up my face at the smell of burnt flesh as the dead cultist melted into the marble floor.

Sick.

I shuddered as I snorted to get the smell out of my nose. I picked up a green herb and tore it to bits as well as the yellow herb and placed them into a vial, knowing a red herb was nearby. I glanced at the crank on the other side of the table and considered to turn it. Well, in order to raise the bars and cross over to the other half of the room, I had to. I grinned at the thought. Why overwork your arms to raise an ignorable gate when you can simply slip through another way? Besides, I need my strength for the two other cranks on the other side.

I smiled childishly as I crawled through a small hole in the southwest corner of the room. I emerged on the other side of the servants' quarters from the little hole I crawled through and saw that another cultist was staring out stupidly into space. His back was to me and didn't acknowledge my presence as I entered the room. Which was good because I didn't want him to notice anyway. Well, not right now. I stepped forward as quietly as I could to a small table drawer and opened it, claiming the Spinel inside as mine. The monk was still staring at the empty fireplace and he still didn't move even though I slammed the drawer shut to see his reaction.

Wow. Either he's really stupid or completely deaf.

I sighed harshly. _At this rate, Leon's gonna go nuts from my late appearance and go on a rampage through the castle. Or Wesker's gonna find me soon and kill me for jacking his sunglasses. And pissing him off. And let's not forget for blinding the guy. Yeah... he's really happy about that. Might as well kill the monk and move on. But where's the excitment in that?_

Impaitent, I jumped up and down and yelled at the cultist to move in high enough voice so that Wesker couldn't hear. At least, I hope he won't.

"Detrás de tí, imbécil!" I yelled out, hoping to get its attention. But the zealot remained where he was and stared at the blackened log in the fireplace. I tapped my foot angrily and growled. I must be insane to have even considered doing what I did. Grumbling under my breath, I marched right up from behind the cultist and kicked him in the ass while yelling at him. (Behind you, you imbecile!)

"Hey, _pendejo_! I'm talking to you! Are you gonna come after me or what?!" I snapped, "Weren't you ordered to search and capture me!? Well, here I am!"

The cultist jumped at the kick then wheeled around to glare at me in rage. "Os voy a romper a pedazos!" he snarled, "Empieza a rezar!" (I'm going to rip you to pieces! Start praying!)

I blinked at the savagery of the zealot's voice then noticed he came after me differently. Not with the intent of capturing me... but _killing_ me! The crazed monk brandished a hidden mace from it's robe and swung it at me. _Holy shit!_ I leaped back in surprise, narrowingly missing the spiked ball. He swung it again as he advanced, forcing me to back away. I leaped back once more as he swung it again and I stared at the cultist in shock.

_Whoa! Okay, kicking them in the ass is a bad thing. But that's not enough to kill the target you were told to capture alive! Unless..._ I groaned out in frustration as I darted around the monk to the other side of the room. I can only guess that he didn't know that I was supposed to be captured alive. He must only think that I'm an intruder and I should be elimitated. _Damnit, Salazar! Don't you give all your servants the same fucking memo to capture and __**not **__murder your targets?!_

I darted around the monk again and crawled under a table near a lamp in the southeast corner. I quickly turned around and yelped out in surprise as the zealot started smashing the table to get it out of the way with his mace. I reached out behind myself and felt the base of a lamp that was there. I spun around, grabbed it, whirled around again and threw it with all my might at the cultist; hitting him dead on in the face. The little lamp shattered and covered the mad monk in burning wax and flames.

The cultist howled in pain as he leaped back and danced about in a panic as the small inferno ate away at his robe. Once the fire got the taste of the fabric, it quickly spread all over him, covering his being in red, orange, and yellow burning light. But even then he still wanted to kill me. I guess he figured that he was going to die soon and wasn't planning on going alone. He charged toward me with the intent of throwing himself at me and hoping I would get caught in the flames dancing on him.

I raised the Handgun with a frown on my face while pulling the hammer back. _Sorry, dude, but I'm not planning on dying just yet. Thanks for the invite, though._

_BANG!_

The zealot crumpled to the floor with a bullet hole right in the center of his forehead. I blinked in surprise at the wound that was there then disappeared as the Illuminado liquified on the floor. Whoa... I missed. I holstered the weapon on my leg holster as I stared at the stain on the tile before it, too, disappeared. I was actually aiming for his left eye but the bullet decided to pull upward and to the right, hitting him in the frontal lobe. Creepy.

I climbed over a low dresser, not wanting to go through the smashed table. No way I'm gonna slip and skewer myself on sharp pieces of old, broken wood. I headed over to the hutch next to the bed, at which I raised a brow at, and scooped the pesetas into my attache case. I cast a glance at the single bed as I turned away but couldn't help myself. If this was the _Servant Quarters_ then why is there only _one_ bed? Where do all the other servants sleep on? The floor? The tables? Or do they all try to squeeze into the same bed? Is Salazar that cheap with his servants? Wait... now that I think about it, those are questions best left unanswered.

I walked over to the twin cranks and the barred hallway that I needed to get through. I picked the left crank to start off first and began to turn it...with some difficulty. Apparently, Salazar nor the servants had used these for a long ass while, hence why it was covered in dust and the grooves had a thick layer of dirt and rust. One set of bars disappeared into the wall after I was done turning the crank. I switched over to the right one and did the same thing and again, like its twin, it was rusty from disuse. But I managed to get the thing to move and the intersecting gates disappeared, yielding to me passage to the hall and the other half of the dungeon. Great.

I entered the hall and snatched up the red herb that I tore up on the spot and added it to the other two herbs, giving me the Mixed Herbs. I looked between the two doors, trying to decide where to go first. Should I go into the Butler's room or go straight into the second half of the Servant's Quarters? Uh... I looked toward the door that led to the cramped and creepy dungeon filled with Las Armaduras.

That'll chase after me...

Swinging their axes...

And stopping at nothing to make sure they kill the one who stole the Salazar Family Insignia...

Butler's room it is!

I pushed open the door to the room and took in the decor of the room. Nicely done. The butler likes to keep his room tidy. I shopped around the room, picking up another Spinel on a table in the norther corner of the room. I headed down the little steps and picked up a box of Handgun ammo from a drawer. Yes! More ammo for me! I reloaded my Handgun as I turned around and saw the _Butler's Memo_ file on a table. I picked it up and skimmed through it, feeling sad for the old butler that decided to stick by Salazar no matter what out of loyalty to the family.

Apparently, the butler had his suspicions about Saddler but was too late to inform Salazar. Sad, really. The butler tried to save little Salazar, knowing that castellan had no living family members. I guess isolation and loneliness can turn people insane. Was this one of the reasons that Salazar wanted to marry me? Uh...better not think about it right now. I packed the file away for Leon to read later. I turned my head over to the right and noticed the dais in front of a painting of a shield and twin swords crossing behind it.

Now let's see if what the game had Ashley say was true; was there really a draft coming from the passage? I walked to it and knelt down, placing my hand near the bottom edge of the "wall". And sure enough, there was a draft coming out of there. Sweet! I turned around and glared at the dais and sure enough there was a round hole in the center of my way outta here. _Damn you Salazar._ I sighed harshly and left, picking up a Velvet Blue, that I had accidently overlooked, on my way out of the room.

I reentered the hallway and stared down the south end of the hall toward the next door I had to go through. I sighed dejectedly as I thought about the horror that was to come. Was I ready for this? I mean...what if something went wrong or activated a trap and I'll end up trapped in a room full of Las Armaduras! I can't fight those off with Handgun! I quickly shook my head, getting rid of such thoughts. _Damnit, now's not the time to freak out. I survived worse than this! Eh... sort of. Anyway, I went through hell to get back to Leon and no way this stupid dungeon is gonna stop me from doing it again! Besides, I still need to prove to Leon that I can do this! Prove to Ada that I'm not a coward! And... prove to myself that I'm not a burden or a walking hazard._

I headed down the hall and enetered Servant's Quarters 2...

* * *

- Servant's Quarters 2

They. Need. To. DUST.

I coughed a little at the little puffs of dust that kicked up as I moved about in the tiny maze of buttons and gates. Haven't they heard of a feather duster? Or the meaning of the word _dust_?! No maid or housekeeper in the world is going to clean this area even if you paid them a ton of money! _That's _how dusty this area is! My nose tickled under the teasing clouds of dust and I sneezed. I grumbled a bit as I waved the dust cloud away from my face and yanked the Stone Tablet from its mount on the old fireplace that hasn't seen a match in ages. I placed the item in a pocket of my cargo pants and sighed. I hate the puzzle I had to solve soon. I was never really good with those types of puzzles.

I left the fireplace alone and headed for the open gate to a bookcase that hid another button that I needed to press. The room was dimly lit at best, the only sources of light coming from the few candles that were placed here. I was aware that these candles were lit up recently since there was hardly any melted wax around the candle holders. Which meant someone had went through here before me. Ada? Maybe, who knows? I know for sure Wesker didn't come by here. I shoved the old bookshelf out of the way and pressed the button.

The last gate opened and the first one closed. Oh, good, it didn't close the one I wanted to go through. I snatched up the green herb I had ignored before and picked up a golden candle holder from the table and took it with me. What? It's gonna be pitch black in that twisted hallway. I'm not going in there blind. I went through the gates, picking up pesetas and a Velvet Blue along the way. I placed all that away and brought out my handgun, no way I'm going in there without my gun in my hand. I picked up the candlestick again and entered the hall.

I was surrounded in darkness. Cold, dusty darkness. I shivered from the drop in temperature as I naviagated through the corridor. A Spinel shone brightly in the shadows, catching the light of the candlestick and my eye. I wandered over to it and saw that it was sitting on an old, worn chair that was covered in cobwebs. Eww. I brushed the sticky webs aside and grabbed the little gem, dropping it in my pocket.

I was able to hear my own breathing and footsteps. Why? Well, because they were the _only_ source of noise in this damn dark hall. It was creepy and I didn't like it. I felt like I was trapped in a _Nightmare from Elm Street_ movie. Well, I better get used to it. I'm only going to hear myself for the longest five minutes of my life before running from Las Armaduras.

"Tonight's movie features Rally Nightshade as the victim and playing as Freddy Kruger..." I muttered as I rounded the corner, "are things really, really scary."

Light bounced off something and I shrieked, thinking that Wesker had suddenly appeared before me. I leaped back but held tightly onto my candlestick, raising my weapon at the figure. After a few tense seconds, which I used to calm my heartrate, I soon realized that it was just the suit of armor. And that Wesker hadn't found me yet. The corridor was devoid of dangers...for the time being.

I sighed and lowered my gun slightly. You can't blame me for thinking that Wesker was in front of me. The darkness was his element...his home! The man can move like a shadow and was as silent as one... My kinda of guy! I mean, just imagine what kind of things Wesker can do to a girl in the darkness! _ACK! Fangirl thoughts! No fangirl thoughts!_ _Come on! Think about the age factor! He's about forty years old and you're only twenty! He's twice as old as you are! _And with all the dark pleasures of the world... _ARGH!! Stop it! Damn you Capcom for making Wesker too damn sexy for a girl's own good! And damn me for thinking like this! No more romance novels when I get back home! For a month! _I pushed aside the thoughts and continued on my way.

After a few minutes of edging around corners and stepping through the hall like it was _Resident Evil Remake_, I finally decended a small flight of stairs and entered a musky, colder, darker, and dustier room. Only this one had six Armaduras in the same room as me and flanking the stupid puzzle I had to solve. Three to either side of the slide puzzle and I just know I'm being watched by them. They were watching me for the slightest hint that my mission was a threat to their duty and it was. Their duty was to guard the Salazar Family Insignia and the Serpent Ornament and it was my mission to steal them. I placed the candlestick on the upper right corner of the pedestal, placed my hand on the right center tile and slid it inward to the center...

Several creepy minutes crawled by as I finally got to the last two pieces. I touched the center right tile and moved it inward to the center, again. I then slid the bottom right tile upwards and looked at the emblem I created. It was a perfect replica of the insignia that Leon and I had seen all over the castle. The picture was done... as soon as I placed in the last piece. I pulled out the Stone Tablet from one of my many pockets of my cargo pants and popped the piece into place.

The Salazar Family crest was complete.

The blue metal door that led into the sealed room slid upwards in the darkness in front of me. I glanced at the Knight statues that stood in eternal attention, forever on guard duty. And ever watchful. I picked up my candlestick and headed for the next dark room.

This one room that would obivously give maids and housekeepers nightmares for years to come. I wonder how long it had been since this room was last open? My guess would be since the first castellan closed it. I took the two items that were there, a Spinel and a Gold Bangle, and stood in front of a small Knight bust. Embedded in the stone of the knight was the Salazar Family Insignia, my ticket out of here. I glanced over my shoulder at the open doorway. I just know what was going to happen once I took that circle of gold. But I had no other choice, I can't escape this room without it.

I sighed, regretted it as powdery dust settled on my tongue and I spat it out. I placed my hand on the seal and removed it from the stone bust. The door behind me slammed shut, causing me to jump and scream out of reflex but I still managed to hang onto my only source of light. I calmed my nerves as the Knight bust slowly turned on its perch to reveal a big blue chest. I popped open the chest and revealed the Serpent Ornament. I holstered my gun, knowing it was useless for now, and pocketed the Insignia. I stared at the stone snake for a while then got myself ready to run, grabbing the piece. The metal door slid open and I heard the steady march of the knights from the other room.

It was go time!

The tempo of metal boots against stone increased in volume as I whirled around and stared in surprise at the emotionless face plate of an Armadura. _What the-?!_ It raised its arms, lifting its metal axe robotically into the air. _Oh, shit! _The knight brought the axe downward quickly and I barely managed to dodge it, the air shrilling loudly next to me. Another knight followed suit, swinging its axe horizontally to slice me in half. I dropped to the floor to avoid it but I wasn't fast enough in doing so. The axe slapped the candlestick from my grip and sent it flying to one side of the room. _AHH! My light!!_

By a miracle that only God could create, the candlestick landed on it base and the flames were still lit, which meant I wasn't blind and could still see the knights coming toward me. _Yes! My light source is safe! _Only, now it was on the other side of the center table. Great. I scrambled up to my feet and raced for it, gripping the Serpent Ornament tightly in my hand. Two more knights manuvered around table and cut me off from my path to the candlestick. I skidded to a halt to leap back as they swung their axes at me. _Oh, crap! Not good! Not good!_ Two in the front, two in the back and no way to my precious candlestick.

Or was there?

I dropped to the floor once more and rolled under the table as the four Armaduras slammed their axes to the floor. I quickly crawled through the length of the table to the candlestick that shone brightly in the darkness. Almost there!_ Once I get my candlestick, I'm outta here! _I smiled as I crawled a little faster to my candlestick, my gaze focused on it. But as I crawled toward it, my mind nagged to me about something. It had to do with Las Armaduras. I blinked in confusion. Other than them being able to move faster than they should, I didn't know what was wrong about them.

There were eight Armaduras and each one is willing to take a crack at cutting me in half. Four were already chasing me and I still have to go through the three that were each guarding a "check point" to get out. Wait... that's seven. Did I count wrong? Before taking the Serpent Ornament, two were in the hall and six were in the puzzle room, that makes eight. I reached out for my candlestick as I thought about this. Three were waiting for me and five are supposed to be after me right now but I only noticed four attacking... Where was the fifth one?

A metal boot glinted in the firelight...

_CRUNCH!_

I cried out in disbelief as the metal boot crushed my light source in front of me. _NO!_ I stared at what remained of the gold candlestick that was my light source as the flames on the candles slowly died. And the darkness swallowed both me and the room. _Oh no! No no no! How in the hell am I gonna get out here without my-! _

A soft jangle of metal...

_OH CRAP!_ I crawled backwards from my current spot under the table in a hurry as I remembered the knight that stood there in front of me. There was a loud shrill whistle as the axe sliced through the stale air and smashed onto the table. That portion of the table splintered under the axe and split open. There's the fifth one! Where did the other four go?! Not taking in chances, I shot out from under the table and scurried blindly into a corner of the room. The loud _crunch_ and _snap_ of wood told me that those four had now destroyed the table. I gripped the Serpent Ornament tightly as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. Like that was helpful, the room is totally pitch black!

The knights started their march once more and I panicked, my eyes automatically shifted around to find them. _I can't see, I can't see! I'm fucking blind here! Where are they!?_ I couldn't see them and I had no idea where in the room I was at so I didn't know which direction the exit was at. Great. A knight bumped into me and I screamed out in fright. Fear of both losing my light and dying because of that gripped my mind as I picked a random direction and ran from the suit of armor. I screamed and fled even though the knights' steady march turned to follow me. _Dead! Dead! I'm so fucking dead!_

_BAM!_

I slammed into a wall face first and I fell back with a cry. The Serpent Ornament was still in my left hand as my right one flew up to my face and clutched my nose. Warm blood flowed down as I touched my nose gingerly and I whimpered. My nose wasn't broken but it still hurt. I tilted my head back to stop the flow and... I could just barely make out the outlines of a leg... My eyes widen. _Holy shit! _I rolled aside as the Armadura slammed its axe down against the stone floor. I crawled between the legs of another as it struck the floor too. _Shit, shit! I need to get out of here! Where are you, you damn door?!_

I crawled around between them to keep them busy as they tried to reorient themselves to find me. Once they were, hopefully, confused, I squinted into the darkness and saw the outlines of something. Was that the..? It was! It was the slide puzzle! I scrambled up to my feet and raced through the doorway. I could barely see the exit to that room, thanks to tiny candles that were mounted high on the stone wall in the stairway. Yes! I'm home free! Uh, sort of, but how was I going to go through the hall without a light?!

I cried out in surprise as my right foot hit a corner of the slide puzzle and I tripped, hitting the floor roughly. The Serpent Ornament flew out of my hand and clattered somewhere in the room. Aw, hell... I hissed angrily as I crawled around the floor in search of the important stone piece. I don't have a light, I lost the stupid stone and I'm crawling around the floor looking for it as walking killer suits of armor are trying to find out what I look like in the inside! Which now have found their way into the puzzle room from the sounds of their annoying march.

"This castle hates me, I know it!" I growled as I went for my handgun and fired it behind in hopes of hitting one of the Armaduras. The flash from the muzzle showed, for a brief second, that an Armadura was swinging its axe. I yelped out in shock and dove to the side as the heavy metal slammed the floor. I smiled down at my handgun, even though I couldn't see it. That's it! I'll use my handgun to light my way!

But first, find that stupid Serpent Ornament!

I fired madly from my currently spot to light up the room briefly. There! I could see the edge of it to my left! I dove for it as Las Armaduras marched toward me. I snatched up the important item and shoved it in my pocket, replacing it with a clip in my hand. I fired everywhere and saw that the knights had gathered in front of me.

"Oh, crap!" I yelped and ran to the left, barely escaping their swings. The stale air shrilled loudly as they swung their weapons in unison. I darted around them and headed for the stairs, my gaze focused on the dimly lit stairway. I scurried up the steps, the knights' forever steady march sounded behind me and I squinted into the darkness. I couldn't see anything so I fired a few times to illuminate the hall. Another Aramdura, poised and ready to slice me in half, was standing in the corner at the end of the corridor. I fired slightly to the left as I stepped into the axe's range and I counted two seconds before jumping back, the air in front of me stirring from the knight's downward swing. The axe missed and the Knight froze for a few seconds before it crumbled into a mess of armor pieces.

One down, two more to go.

I ejected the clip, jammed that in my pocket and slapped in a fresh one. The clanking of armor and heavy footsteps grew louder behind me and I knew that I had to get out and do it now. I leaped over a piece of armor and took off down the hall, firing to make sure that I didn't crash into the pile of old chairs in the corner. I rounded the corner and repeated the same trick to the other suit of armor as I did with the first one. As the knight crumbled to pieces, I noticed that the rhythm of following Armaduras had changed. Instead of the smooth and steady march that they always did had changed to a fast paced one...

_Thrum!_

I screamed out in shock as the door in front of me was hurled off its hinges. _What the hell?! What did-?_ My eyes widen in horror as I saw an axe buried in the wood. Dim light poured into the hall and my eyes quickly adjusted to it. I whirled around and gasped in shock as an Armadura raced at me, weaponless... _Holy shit! That thing just threw it its axe at the door! Wait... no... It missed! It was really aiming for me but it missed and hit the door! They're all nuts!_ I raced into the next room and went through the gate that I had opened, slapping the red button next to it to close it. That ought to stop them!

_CRASH!_

Or not.

I looked over my shoulder as the knight shoulder rammed the gate and it barreled through, the other knights following closely. _The fuck?! That was supposed to stop them! _

Another jangle of metal...

I snapped my attention back to the exit and freaked as I skidded to halt as the Armadura swung its axe. I fell back with a shocked cry and landed on my ass, my eyes wide in terror as I stared at the axe that was embedded in the stone floor right between my feet. Any slower and my head would have been under the sharp edge. I scrambled back up to my feet and threw open the door, eager to leave them all behind.

* * *

- Servant's Quarters 1

I erupted into the hall, skidded around the door and flew down the hall. There it was! The bulter's room! My salavation and only way out of here! Tears of joy spilled over my cheeks as I targeted the blue door, my goal was almost complete! I'll be able to leave this nightmare behind and rejoin Leon! That's all I wanted! To rejoin with Leon and be around him a bit longer and live! Nothing stood between me and my salavation!

Until a familiar figure stepped into view. Flaming, feline eyes blazed in rage as they zeroed in on me.

_WESKER?!_

"Thought you could elude me for long?" Wesker hissed as he glared at me. _Aw, hell... _Jesus Christ will the madness never end?! Is everyone against me!? All I want right now is to get out of here with all me intacted! Is that so much to ask?! "I'm going to make you pay for that stunt you pulled on me!"

"Not now!" I yelled back as I heard the rapid footsteps of the knights. A sudden chill ran down my spine as I continued to run toward Wesker. The air behind me sang as something sharp charged after me. I automatically sped up to get to the door. I can avoid the sharp object but will Wesker be able to? Uh, yeah, duh, he's a BOW. He can probably dodge bullets like in the movie _The Matrix._ Wesker can dodge basically anything easily, that's how good he is. But something told me that he won't move fast enough today.

_Wesker._

_"LOOK OUT!" _I cried as I instinctively threw myself at the blonde BOW. Our bodies collided and I thought I heard Wesker emit a soft _"Emph!"_ as the very force of my tackle knocked us both to the floor. We slid across the tile for a bit as the axe whistled overhead and slammed into the wall. _Jesus that was close. _I sat up and sighed, only then did I look downward. We stared at each other from our awkward position but I wasn't paying much attention to it. The only that caught my attention was the fact that Wesker was surprised and everyone knows that he was _never_ surprised about anything; but I wasn't sure if he was shocked from the fact that I was able to knock him over or the fact that I just saved his life.

Well, I'll never know the answer to that since the rapid approach of the Armaduras caused me to look over my shoulder. Seeing as how close the enemies were, I quickly rolled off Wesker and leaped to my feet, running for the butler's room. I have got to get to that room! Wesker snarled as he jumped to his feet and chased after me.

"Get back here, Miss Nightshade!" he snapped as I managed to stay ahead of him. I kicked open the door and raced in, slamming it shut in front of him. _Sorry, Wesker! But you can survive against them better than me!_ I quickly locked the door and shoved a bookshelf and a table drawer in front of the door to block it. Wesker punched a hole through the wood, clearly pissed that I had the nerve to do this to him. He jerked his fist back and pulled it back to punch again as I peeked through hole. Another Armadura pulled its axe back and let it fly.

"Duck!" I yelled as I did so. Wesker ducked and the axe smashed through the top portion of the door. _Holy crap!_ I shoved other stuff to block the door as I heard the human BOW curse loudly as the Armaduras finally reached the door. I could hear the battle waged between them to see who got to me first. Sorry, to disappoint the both of them but I'm gonna be out of here before they finish.

I raced toward the dais and fished through my pockets to find the Salazar Family Insignia. Oh, god where did I put it!? A loud shrill sounded outside and an Armadura collapsed to the floor. I'm guessing Wesker grabbed an axe and threw it at the knight. The door began to rattle violently as one of the contestants tried to ram the door open, but I think it's just the knights being thrown to it by Wesker. I finally found the seal and popped the circle of gold into its slot on the wheel. The bookshelf toppled over and I ran back to prop it back up to keep the door closed. As I did so I saw a piee of parchment sticking out from between two books. I snatched it and shoved it into my pocket. I'll read it later but right now I need to leave before the war outside finishes.

I raced back to the dais and began to turn it as I heard Wesker thrust punch an Armadura into a wall. I winced. Ow. BOW or not, that must have hurt his hand, punching metal. Halfway to through the turn, the handle got stuck. I yelled angrily and I began to kick at it to get it moving again. Am I cursed when it comes to turning something?! They always get stuck whenever _I'm_ turning them!

The bookshelf went flying as Armadura rammed the door. I began to panic as I continued to kick at the handle. _Come on, come on! Turn damn you! TURN!_ The handle shifted loose and I smiled, returning to my task of opening the passage. The dais completely turned and the wall pulled upwards, revealing the ladder and exit. _YES!_ The door and everything covering it flew off and an Armadura barreled into the room. I wheeled around in horror. _NO!_ I quickly turned back to the wall and silently urged it to move faster.

_SNAP!_

I cried out in pain as someting sharp lashed at my back. I stumbled forward in pain and looked over my shoulder to see what the knight used to hit me. It turned out that it was a long sharp tentacle sticking out of the neck of the armor. _What the hell?_ The Armadura lashed forward again and I sidestepped it to dodge. I glared at it as I hissed, letting the pain in my back subside for now. More Armaduras entered the room, all with the same tentacle thing sticking out if them. Armaduras weren't supposed to have the first stage plaga attack, just the second stage ones! They lashed forward and I jumped back to get out of range of them.

Suddenly, they all began to quiver violently and before my very eyes, the tentacles transformed into...something else. Instead of the second stage La Plaga maw, the tentacles transformed into disgusting clawed hands. _What the fuck?_ Las Armaduras lashed forward again, sending their new found weapons at me._ What the hell are they now!? Bandersnatch 2.0?! _I leaped back but found that I was up against the ladder. _Ooh, not good!_

One of the stretchy clawed hands grabbed the front of my shirt and jerked me forward. The knight hoisted me into the air as another Armadura extended its clawed hand and had it wrap around my neck. I struggled furiously to free myself from their clutches but it was no good, their grip was too strong. _All this for the ass end of the stupid Chimera mural?!_

"It's just a stupid rock!" I gasped out angrily as the second Armadura began to throttle me. I'm gonna die over for a stupid fancy rock?! Salazar, you are fucking nuts!

Wesker suddenly darted into the room and thrust punched the knight that was strangling me. The disgusting apendage released me as the knights turned to attack Wesker, except for the one still holding me. Well, it was better than nothing! As Wesker fought off the knights, punching one into another out of the room, I fumbled around for my survival knife. I finally grabbed my blade and stabbed it into the Armadura's apendage.

The knight released me in a hurry and I dropped to the floor, landing flat on my stomach. The wind rushed out my lungs and left me breathless for a few seconds. Wesker spin kicked one knight and the enemy shattered under the force, killed on impact. The human BOW turned and quickly performed Chinyo Changi on another and killed it. I regained my wind, scrambled to my feet and raced for the ladder, scaling it quickly. I turned around at the top and gazed at the battle being waged between them and Wesker.

I didn't want to leave Wesker behind to fight those things by himself, even though he could handle himself quite well. I wanted to help Wesker without him knowing and find a safe way to ditch him so I could get back to Leon and fast. As I pondered over on how to help my favorite RE villian, I noticed that the helmets of Las Armaduras were off and that meant one thing.

Three plaga controlled suits of armor _minus_ their helmets _plus_ a flash grenade _equals_ an easy triple kill!

And a blind, pissed off Wesker.

I shrugged. Whatever works.

I brought out a flash grenade as Wesker thrust punched an Armadura into a wall. The knight staggered but remained alive. The two he threw out returned and cahrged after him. Now or never! I called out to Wesker as I pulled the pin to the grenade but held down on the trigger. The blonde BOW looked up at me in irritation as I reached into my pocket and pulled out an item. The look of annoyance in Wesker's eyes switched to rage as I flicked open the item and propped it on my face. It was his shades. I still had them after I stole them from him in the hall maze. I adjusted the glasses as I gave him a sort of sad smile.

"Sorry, Wesker." I said as I threw the flash grenade down on the floor in front of him. The little blue grenade went off, releasing its harsh light and filling the room with it. Wesker yelled in fury as Las Armaduras' plagas shrieked in pain as the bright light burned them. I quickly scooped the pesetas into my attach case as the grenade continued to fill the room with light.

I turned and ran through the twisty corridor, wanting to leave this place for good but hoped that Wesker will be fine. And not come after me with the intent of murder on his mind. Again, curse the idiot who designed this castle! There are too many turns for one hall! As I raced around corners to find the exit, I realized that I was getting closer to reuniting with Leon and Caleb with every step. That alone urged me to run faster and escape this sector that much quicker.

Rounding the final corner, I spotted the wooden door that led to the second floor of the Mezzanine room. It also led to Leon and Caleb. I sprinted towards the door, tears of joy again blurring my vision as I reached the door. I quickly took out the key I used to get here and undid the lock.

I pushed the door open, crying out Leon's name in happiness as I raced out of there.

_I'm back, Leon! I'm back! I've survived another nightmare and I'm back with you! _

* * *

Hell yeah! Score another finished chapter for me! I apologize for making this chappy so long! But I was on a roll baby! I believe I overdid it in this chapter. There wasn't enough dialogue in this chappy, so sorry about that too but since it was basically Rally by herself, there wasn't much of a point on having a lot of dialogue in it.

And I'm really sorry to all the Wesker fans out there and RE perfectionists (I'm one too!) that I made Wesker OOC for the last bit of the chappy. To tell the truth, I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to fit him in there. I was on the verge of just plain leaving him out but I decided to hell with it and kept him in. I tried to make the second encounter with Wesker funny without ruining his image that much. I think I did a good job of it, though I'm still a little iffy with it. But if you guys thought it was okay, then I'm glad!

Anyway, if any of you have an idea or a suggestion on what I should for the next chapter either tell me on the review or drop me a line on my e-mail. Evilvixen05(at)gmail(dot)com. I hope you guys enjoyed this chappy and...

Chat with ya later!

Wait... hold on. Don't go anywhere until you guys at least give me a review. A lot people read my fic but don't leave a review. I can't do a better job unless I know how you liked the chapter. I use reviews as a way to imporve my writing to keep you guys on the edge of your seats! I'm aiming to have at least ten reviews between chappies, that way I know that I still got fans out there!

See that little purple box that says "Submit Review"? It's on the bottom left hand corner of your screen. See it now? Good. Click "Go". Go on. Click it. Now type in what you like (or don't like) about the chapter and submit it. See? Wasn't that easy? Don't glare at me like that. You're not gonna break your fingers by typing in a few sentences, now are you? Besides, I always reply to my reviews!

Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

...Okay, now you can go now.


	22. Dream Or Premontion?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists!

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** I am SO sorry for taking so damn long with this chappy! You see... I got the new Smash Bros. Brawl game for the Wii and it overtook my time. That and I had trouble (writer's block) concerning what to write for this chappy. So I had to take time off and play Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles for inspiration. So again, I apologize for taking long! I hope you enjoy this chappy and furture ones!

**Final Note:** Over 112 reviews! Wow, that's a lot for just a fic with 21 chappies. blush I didn't know that I'm becoming an idol to some of you. smile Thank you, you guys are my idols for being there to read my fic. I would love to thank all of you for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

Everyone gets a Rally bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Combat Rally w/ shotgun) _"Don't worry, Leon! I'm coming for ya!"_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!! WESKER TOO!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you!

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Twenty-One: Dream Or Premonition?

- Mezzanine Hall

"Leon!" I cried out in joy as I ran through the thrown open door. After through all those nightmares, changing who I was, and losing my innocence... I was finally reunited with the blonde agent and our faithful companion at long last. Man, it felt good to know that Leon was there, waiting for me. And it was great to see him again after what felt like a lifetime since I last saw him. I wanted to tell him all that I been through in my adventures alone, skipping a few details that I rather not repeat, but I think it'll be best to wait.

Leon turned at the sound of my cry and at first there was a look of surprise on his face that quickly switched to relief as he saw me. I grinned as I dropped both my handgun and attache case, freeing my hands as I ran toward him. Caleb perked his ears at me then wagged his tail excitedly at the sight of my return and I knew he was worried for me as well as the agent.

"Rally!" Leon breathed out in relief as he smiled. And as much as I don't like acting like Ashley, I just couldn't help myself. I pulled off one her moves and less-than-gracefully ran into Leon, encircling my arms around him in a fierce hug. Caleb jumped around us as we hugged, barking happily that the three of us were together again. I buried my face into Leon's chest, which was a bad idea since I still had Wesker's shades on my face. Ow. The agent gave me a final squeeze before he gently pulled me away by my shoulders. "You came through, Rally, you came through. And I see you collected some supplies for us."

I noticed his gaze had shifted over to my attache case and I nodded with a smile. "Yeah and an important item that we need to get out of here." I sighed happily then smiled sadly at Leon. "Sorry for taking so long. I got lost in a maze," _That wasn't supposed to be there. _"for the second time and ran into some trouble."

The agent's smile waned a little. "At this point in my life, I'll believe in anything horror related. But don't worry about it, though. I'm just glad and relieved to know that you're here alive and well." He rubbed my head little and he grinned as Caleb whined for some attention. As I knelt down to give our loyal friend a good scratch behind the ears and neck, Leon went to retrieve my case and weapon. He returned and began to pack away whatever I had in the case, except for the box of handgun ammo. Either he had run out of space in that attache case or he was finally realzing that I could handle a gun all on my own. I hope its the latter.

Leon stood after arranging his stuff and grinned at me as I put away my attache case then gave him another hug. He smiled at me slightly. "Alright, let's move on."

But before we had a chance to move or allow me to remember to tell my blonde hero about the Broken Butterfly, the agent's transmitter went off. I automatically scowled and glared at the spot where the agent kept the device.

_Little bastard._

Leon looked confused as he fished around for the little radio, obviously not knowing who was able to call through if the line was dead. I decided to provide him the answer as he picked up the radio.

"It's Salazar." I growled angrily, "That's why Hunngian was cut off at the entrance of the castle, Saddler's men were able to jack the line."

The agent looked at me in surprise, "They jacked the line?!"

I nodded grimly, "Yeah, we can't call out but they can call us in." I scowled at the device, "And the little bastard's been calling ever since I left to find you. He wanted to toy with our minds, the psycho."

Leon lifted a brow in reference to my last sentence, "_Our?_"

I smiled slightly, "I tricked him into thinking that we were still together when I was actually alone by being your_ "answering machine". _I didn't want him to have that knowledge and use it against us." I grinned, "I can't believe he actually fell for it. Anyway, just pretend that you already knew about this and he'll be none the wiser."

Leon smirked as the transmitter continued to beep impaitently. _Wait your fucking turn, Sal. Leon's _talking_ to _me_!_ The agent grinned wider and shook his head in amusement. "Aren't you the clever fox?" he mused as he answered the call. I merely smiled at his statement.

The medieval midget's image fuzzed into the little screen with a sneaky smirk on his face. _"Aw... What a touching moment we have here."_ he sneered, voice dripping in fake sweetness. _Yeah, all because you can't have any._

Agent Kennedy glared at him annoyingly. "All spoiled thanks to your interruption." he shot back, "Why don't you do us all a favor and leave before the audience gets pissed off?"

Salazar sniffed in disdain. _"Hmph. You're nothing but an extra in my script, so don't get too carried away. Your biggest scene is over."_

I pratically glowed as I watched Leon cock his head to one side, raised a brow and snorted at the midget's words. Ooh! Leon's gettin' cocky! Yes! Man, he is such a cool guy to hang around with! It's like he knows how to get under his enemy's skin just for them to slip up! ...Just like me! Coolness!

"I don't ever remember being a part of your crappy script."

Whomever created all of the agent's dialogue..._ insert a tear and a sniffle _Thank you!

The castellan frowned at Leon's attitude. I'm guessing lil' Salazar is upset that blonde hero insulted his precious _script_. Not that I care, his mind is whacked. Again, Ramon Salazar sniffed in disdain. _"Well then, why don't you show me what a first-class script is like;"_ he purred, _"Through your own actions."_

I leaned into the screen and grinned at it. "Okay! Wanna see my first action?" I asked in mock sweetness, batting my eyes for good measure. I leaned away, extended the middle finger of my right fist and thrusted that in front of the screen. I had it in a way so it was all Salazar could see. I wiggled it at him. "This the first step to a world-class script! Enjoy."

Leon bursted out in laughter at my action as Caleb howled along. The childlike castellan yelled angrily for me to get my finger out of his royal face. But, I said that I couldn't because it wasn't _in_ his face; it was in _front _of his face. There was a difference. Agent Kennedy laughed harder at my answer as our midget host snarled at the correction. The agent continued to laugh through the whole thing as I threw out insults while Salazar fumed from the other end of the transmission.

While all that was going on, I was thinking about Salazar's last statement. _He wants Leon to_ s**how**_ him what a first-class script is like? Through his _**own actions**_? _EWW! Okay, that is just gross! So wrong on so many levels! Not that I have a problem with those who love their own gender and such. Hey, if you like it then more power to ya! Whatever floats your boat. It's just the thought of Salazar _and_ Leon... you know what? I'm not gonna explain it. Use your own imagination to figure out what I _was_ thinking about. I shuddered and pushed the thoughts aside.

_"I'M NOT GAY!!"_ Salazar exploded from the little radio, his left eye twitching madly. Both Leon and I stared at him then at each other as he glowered at us from his own transmitter. He ranted about how we had the nerve to think that he was. All while the agent and I stared at each other then we casted him a glance and bursted out in laughter again. The castellan hissed angrily, wanting to know why we were laughing.

I grinned at him and supressed a few giggles. "That's easy, you assumed that I said you were gay. I was thinking it but I said nothing of the sort."

Leon smirked since it was the first time he heard of this, "You embarrassed yourself."

_"WHAT!?"_ Salazar snarled and directed his gaze toward me, yellow eyes flashing in rage. _"How dare you trick me!"_

I grinned and switched to my air-head attitude I usually saved for annoying certain people. "Like, because I _can _- duh."

The midget's body quivered in barely contained fury as he basically tried to burn a hole in my head by glaring. _"How dare you...!"_

I continued my charade. "Like, _chill out_, mister. Your anger is, like, messing up my karma." I pointed my index fingers toward my face, having the tips of the digits touch my cheeks. I angled my eyes so that it looked as though I was thinking in the valley girl way to complete my air-head act. "Like, you know what? We have to, like, leave because we have a lot a places to go but, like, so little time." I smiled the valley girl smile. "Soooo, like, we have to cut our talkies super short for now. But, like, we'll instant message each other, like, later. Okay, Sal?"

_"IT'S SALAZAR!!"_ the castellan shrieked madly, practically foaming at the mouth from my attitude toward him. _Phbbt! _Like I care?

"Okay, Sally! Love you, buh-bye!" I said brightly in the same valley girl tone. I waved to him cheerfully as he screamed out in fury and I quickly turned off the radio to cut the little guy's insane shriek short. To tell the truth, I've never seen a vein pop out like that in my whole life. Man, I must've really pushed his buttons... but can you blame me? I like messing around with him. He's so much fun to piss off! I snickered to myself as Leon put away the transmitter.

Then I turned and saw familar lean body sprawled on the marble floor, no more than five feet away. Blood had pooled all around him and still inched its way across the floor.

Just like that, all the mirth and laughter I had moments before was gone.

_Luis._

I hesitantly approached his crumpled form as if unsure if I should be near him, as Leon checked over his weaponary. I decided that I had to approach him to give my respects. Or, as my mother often said, the dead will not rest unless given respect. I didn't want Luis to suffer anymore than he already had and I wanted to thank him again... for all that he had done for me and Leon.

Just walking toward his lifeless form brought tears to my eyes once more. Both sad and angry tears. Sad that he was gone, ripped from a life he could have had. And angry for the heartless bastard that killed him and smirked at his suffering, all for a fucking test tube parasite egg. Sure, Luis was nothing more than an acquaintance to me in life but, playing the game a few times and then re"living" it... made me feel as though I lost a close friend.

I mean, no real acquaintance would have bothered to help Leon protect me or even give clues to where I was held. That was enough proof to me that he wanted to be our friend. And believe me, I just know we would have been close friends.

I was barely aware of the faint footsteps as I knelt beside Luis. I wiped away the tears that had fallen without my knowledge and gazed sadly at him. The ragged hole in his chest was actually bigger than it should be and... I can't really compare it to the game because the designers had the hole covered with his shirt. And it ain't covered here. I'm sure I'll be able to see the floor through his chest if it weren't blocked by all the shredded issue, organs and blood.

I lifted my gaze from his wound and kept my vision on his face. Even though he looked as if he was only asleep, there was no peace or tranquilitly on his features, just a slight show of pain. My vision blurred as tears started up again as I placed my hand on his own and closed my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Luis, that you suffered and died because of me but... I thank you. I thank you for all the help you gave to Leon to aid in his mission. For helping him to protect me in the cabin. For helping us survive all the way up to this point." I whispered, "Thank you, Luis... our friend..."

I was startled by sudden touch of Leon's hand on my right shoulder but didn't make a sound. "Rally... are you going to be okay?" the agent asked softly as Caleb sat next to me and gazed at Luis sadly, ears drooping to match his mood.

I only nodded my answer.

"Listen... Luis... died a hero. He died protecting you. I promised him that I'll make Saddler pay for his murder and reclaim the Sample that was stolen. Luis' death wouldn't be for nothing."

Again, I nodded, knowing fully well that he did promise that. I quickly took out a piece of paper from my mini-notepad

and scribbled something on it on both sides. I tucked it into Luis's hand as I remade my own promise from earlier and sang out softly two lines from a song.

(A/N: Song _Moonlight Shadow_ by Green Coverage)

"_I stay, I pray, I see you in heaven far away. I stay, I pray, I see you in heaven one day..._"

I stood, told Leon about the Broken Butterfly and the three of us went back to go get it. As we left I glanced at Luis and smiled sadly before following Leon out.

On the piece of paper:

_Friend,_

_Ally, _

_Hero_

_Luis Sera_

_Rest in Peace..._

On the back:

_(a sketch of the four of them in action poses. From left to right: Leon with the Riot Gun, Luis with his Red 9, Rally with the Blacktail, and Caleb in battlestance on the front.)_

With the words:

_Heroes, allies and friends forever_

((A/N: Dedicated to Luis Sera, a charming fellow who will not be forgotten by the fans of Resident Evil 4.))

* * *

- Cage Match Room

Leon growled angrily as we pushed our way through the ambush our "ever-so-annoying" enemies had set up for us. I squeezed off a few shots to keep the zealots occupied as Caleb darted among them, attacking who he could. The agent fired his TMP into the crowd that was blocking the door to the Last Supper Corridor. There were definetly a lot more cultists showing up than in the game but that wasn't going to stop us from getting the magnum.

"Jesus Christ, how many are there?!" Leon griped as another group of mad monks swarmed into the room. I growled and fired off a few shots from both the Punisher and Handgun.

"It's a _castle_, Leon. There's bound to be thousands of these freaks!" I griped back as I fired on the crossbowmen that took aim at the government agent. Hell, at this point I was happy to see more cultists. To me, it was a good way to vent out my anger and sadness about Luis' death. I knew that if I kept those feeling bottled up, I was going to screw up somewhere and get either me, Leon or both of us killed because my negative emotions clouded my judgement. So, in a way, the cultists were helping me feel better and think more clearly.

Thank you, dying monks!

Bodies danced under Leon's rapid-fire and I whistled Caleb back after he took down a crossbow wielding enemy. Once the white dog was safely at our side, I chucked a Incendiary grenade amidst the cult group. A few of them screamed and ran about while in flames, others danced around and a very few attempted to rush us while being barbaqued. Needless to say, Leon shot those that tried to run at us and we waited for them to disintergrate into the floor before moving on.

- Last Supper Corridor

Wow! Something that goes with the game for once! Two weaponless monks were in front of us, next to the blown table and three hiding in that tiny hall that lead to the External Wall Area. The very place where the agent's future best friend, the Broken Butterfly, lies asleep. I took on the twin weaponless idiots while Leon and Caleb went after the trio of morons playing 'Hide-n-Go-Seek' in the hall.

The twin cultists giggled madly as they ran at me. I lowered the Handgun and shot the first one in the leg and watched him toppled over in pain. I raised the Punisher to the second monk, but he covered his face with his arms and continued to approach me. Just like I was hoping he would do. I scurried over to him and grinned as I pulled my hand to the side. As soon the monk lowered his arms, he noticed I was in front of him.

My grin widen. "Hey, tell me if this hurts!" I hissed and struck the zealot's head, raking my nails across his face. The monk cried out and clutched his face in pain. I bent my knees and rammed my fist into the cultist's gut, forcing him to double over then followed up with an uppercut. The cultist fell back from the blows as the first staggered back up. I quickly grabbed a chair and swung it, twisting my body to put more force into it. The legs of the chair smacked it across the head and I saw him spin in the air from the blow. Coolness. Then I shot them both while they were still on the ground to end the fight.

Afterwards, Leon and Caleb reentered the dinning hall after taking out their targets. The agent looked around the room, noticing the badly damaged walls that were splattered with blood and guts. Then his gaze settled on the wreckage that used to be the first dinning table, noting the scorched table cloth. It only took him about a second to know what happened here.

"Rally, you used grenades in here, didn't you?" he asked as he reloaded the TMP yet again. I laughed nervously and nodded. "That many enemies, huh?"

I laughed again, "Y-yeah. I kinda walked in on them having a meal."

Leon grinned, "Can't say that I blame you." He glanced at the second table and saw the meal that lay there. It was all still perfectly clean and untouched. He saw the two plates of roasted chicken and smiled a little. "Well, now I know where you got the food. I guess you were careful in this room, right?"

"Yeah, I saw the food there and thought of you and Caleb and Luis..." I lowered my eyes briefly at the Spanaird's name but I shook out of it, "So I decided to get them to come to me and fight them off that way, so I can save at least one table of food."

"Smart thinking."

"Thanks."

Caleb leaped onto the table and pounced on one plate of chicken. Leon and I laughed as the white dog chewed slowly as if savoring the taste of the meat. We laughed until my stomach growled for more food. I placed a hand on my tummy and blushed as the agent gave me an amused grin when it growled once more. I mumbled something incoherent and sat at the table, snatching up a piece of chicken from the other plate.

_insert embarassing stomach growl_

I blushed again at the sound but stopped when I realized it wasn't my stomach growling. I looked at Caleb, thinking it was him and saw him blink at me with a drumstick in his jaws. Apparently, he thought it was me. We both stared at each other and heard the stomach growl again. Realizing it was neither of us, we both looked at Leon and at that point, I wished the merchant was with us to take the agent's photo now. Leon was blusing and looking at his stomach, while wrapping an arm around his waist as if that would keep the growls quiet.

It didn't.

I laughed as the agent's cheeks deepened in color as he stomach demanded to be satsified. I grinned at him as Caleb seemed to smirk at the agent as Leon's face burned from our staring. The dog became bored after a second and went back to dinning on chicken. I silently motioned my guardian to sit and eat, but Agent Kennedy refused to move from his spot in the room. I frowned slightly at his stubborn nature.

"Leon, you might as well sit and eat. Your body is going to give out on you if you stay hungry." I said wisely, "You can't work on an empty stomach."

The agent raised a brow at my statement, his way of objecting to that. Then I remembered _Resident Evil 2_, Leon had arrived at the city and didn't get a chance to eat at all before running from the infected dead. I sighed.

"Okay, so you can." I amended with a shrug, "But this isn't Raccoon City. Zombies can't think, Las plagas can. Unlike zombies, these guys can out think us if we're not careful and can set up traps. But like the undead, they can also take advantage of us if we're weakened."

At first, I thought Leon just tuned me out but I saw that he was thinking it over. It was only after his stomach insisted once more to listen, that the agent finally gave up and sat at the table. He reached over for a piece of chicken and popped it into his mouth. I smiled and bit into some bread. The food was cold but it was better than nothing and man, it was good to eat some kind of meal after what felt like a lifetime ago that either of us ate anything.

We ate quickly and I led Leon and Caleb through the tiny hall that led to the External Wall Area. I pushed open the wooden door into the southern mess hall and walked in. I felt a shiver run up my spine as Leon and Caleb entered the room cautiously. But I didn't see anything that resembled trouble. Was something wrong? I placed a hand to my temple as I tried to recall what was supposed to happen here.

Suddenly, I was crushed to the floor as something fast and heavy slammed onto me from above. Claws ticked on my body excitedly and I remembered those claws. Invisbility and having a habit of ramming into people; it was the fucking Novistadors, I remember now. Leon turned around in shock and raised his Blacktail at it and fired several times. The bug jerked from the impact of the rounds but wasn't going to let me up.

I grappled its arms and held them back to keep those deadly claws away from my face as Leon aimed for its head. Caleb leaped into the fray to save me when the agent didn't fire his gun. Confused, I looked toward him as he stood there, his weapon lowering. Leon twitched and I stared in shock as he suddenly whirled around in a spin kick and nailed another invisible Novistador that was hidding behind him.

I blinked in surprise at my hero while he shot it with the black handgun. True, that there were two Novistadors hidding in the room but he didn't know about them. Hell, I had forgotten about them and they made no sound to announce their presence. The bugs only lose their invisibility once they move and that one didn't move. Wait, no, they still retain it when they move but their eyes glow as they do. That Novistador's eyes didn't glow. So, how did Leon know about that one?

I shook my head and grinned as I returned to my task of making sure ugly here couldn't take a bite out of me. How could I forgotten? Leon's no longer human. He's a human BOW like Wesker and his BOW senses had alerted him about the enemy. Does the blonde government agent realize what he has become? I doubt it and I'm guessing he's only thinking it was his sixth sense telling him to kick out behind him. Hell, if I were in his shoes, I'll would think the same thing. Becoming infected with the T-Virus would be the last thing on our minds at this point had the virus been here.

"Caleb! Off!" Leon barked and the white dog obeyed after giving the Novistador on me one final bite on the shoulder. The bug screeched angrily as it twisted around to slash at the dog but Caleb had already bounded away from its reach. Leon had switched weapons, ran up to the monsterous bug and slammed the butt of the Riot-Gun against its head. The Novistador staggered off of me and hissed angrily at the agent for disturbing it while it tried to chow down on me. Caleb trotted over to me to look me over for injuries as Leon stood between me and the bug, barring its path.

Other than having the searing pain of my back and right leg, plus the bruise that thing gave me, I had no serious injuries that would make my friends worry. Caleb licked my face and growled at the giant bug that glowered at the agent. Leon reloaded the shotgun as he watched the Novistador carefully. The bug screeched in fury and charged toward my hero, figuring that if it wanted to eat, might as well eat the blonde guy first. Wrong! A smart monster would know to not go after the one that has guns that can blow you a brand new hole to breathe out of. But then again, monsters aren't really smart to begin with.

"Ah, screeched it to someone who cares." Leon snapped and rammed the barrel of the Riot-Gun into the Novistador's mouth and pulled the trigger, blowing the tiny brain the bug had to bits.

After watching the insect crumple to the floor with the back of its head missing, the agent turned his attention to me and helped me up, asking if I was okay. I told him that I was fine but knew better than to lie to Leon. He tapped his foot a little in irritation as his gaze flickered over to my right leg.

"Fine, right. Mind telling me why you haven't healed your right leg?" he asked dryly and I flinched at his words. He knew about that? I opened my mouth to ask but he was ahead of me. "I knew when I noticed that you were careful when walking on that leg and you shift your weight on your left one while you were standing still."

_Memo to me...work on hiding injuries._ I sighed and rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment. "Uh, yeah...about that... You see, I was being attacked while looking for you and I..." I lowered my voice at the part and raised my voice to normal, "And the merchant ran out of First Aid Sprays at that time, so I couldn't heal it and forgot about it until now."

Leon raised a brow, "Can you run that by me again? You mumbled." I frowned and repeated it again, making sure that I lowered my voice on how I got injuried until the agent glared at me. "You're doing it again." he growled, "How did you get your leg injured?"

I sighed, "I got shot with an arrow, are ya happy?"

"An arrow?!"

"Yeah, I was being attacked by one of those Colmillos and I was firing at it. One crossbow wielding monk got a shot in and nailed me in the leg."

The agent inclined his head as he thought it about and frowned slightly. "Let me guess...you were hit by that wolf's lash attack, right?"

I blinked in surprise "How did you know?"

He grinned boyishly. _Don't do that Leon, you remind me of Wesker when he's doing his evil smirk. Makes want to tackle you both to the ground._ "Well, I was hit with it while I was approaching the chruch. I took out two wolves with an Incendiary grenade but one managed to avoid it and hit me with the tentacles on its back."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, that attack is used to disable you from retaliating and leave you open to an attack by some other enemy." Leon explained, "And that's what the wolf did to you. It left you open to attack and that monk took it, hitting you with the arrow."

I scowled at the information but kept that in mind. "Great. See? These guys are thinking! And it's pissing me off!"

"It's pissing me off too, but we got to deal with it. Anyway, I know you have a gash on your back and that's from hugging you." Leon held up a can of healing mist. "Well, since we got the sprays might as well heal you up so you don't have trouble running when we have to run."

I sighed, "All right." I blushed and turned around. "You're going to have to get the wound on my back." I sighed again as I started to lift the back of my shirt and heard Leon shift uneasily behind me. "Leon, you're not being a pervert now, you're healing. And you're only looking at my back, for god sakes."

"That's not it..." he said as he sprayed my back lightly with the medicine. "You've got a problem."

I hissed a little as it fizzled, "And...what problem is that?"

"Strap."

I stiffened and blushed as I knew exactly what he was talking about and I brought the back of my shirt back down in a hurry. I scowled as I remembered the stupid knight's attack. That fucking armored bastard sliced the main strap! Goddamnit! Great, just fucking great. I'm gonna be walking around for the rest of the adventure with a broken bra strap. Unless the merchant has some thread and a needle then I can fix it but I doubt it.

I turned back around and took the spray can from Leon. I then removed the bandages, lifted the part of my pants where the wound was, stuck the nozzle in the hole and sprayed the wound. I hissed as it stung but healed quickly. I tossed the empty can away as Caleb sniffed around for anything useful.

Leon broke the wooden boxes for items and stayed away from one as Caleb growled at it. I knew that it held the stupid snake in it and we looked at the padlock on the door. I opted that Leon should blast it open but we better save ammo. I guess Leon figured it too as he lifted his leg and gave the door a swift kick. To his surprise, the lock broke off as the door swung open in one kick. But I knew he just thought that the lock sucked.

I smiled secretly. _No, Leon, it's not the lock. It's you. You're a BOW, you have more power in you than you realize. Perhaps enough power to stop Wesker from reviving Umbrella..._

We left the mess hall and entered our destination.

* * *

- External Wall Area

(A/N: I'm only guessing Caleb's breed since they don't tell us in the player's guide or the game. And I know in the game it was still dark out when Ashley rejoins Leon but since I made Rally disappear for several hours, I made it daylight. It was past midnight when they arrived at the castle and it takes them at least a day to get out of there. So the castle area's time is whacked but I had to do it to keep the Island's time intacted. Sorry.)

I led my two friends through a couple of doors and headed for the locked door near the fountain. Caleb perked at the sounds of water and bounded up to it. He placed his front paws on the rim of the fountain and wagged his tail excitedly, glad to see water. He lapped up water as I motioned Leon over to the door. The agent looked at the door, barred window then at the high open window and knew what I was asking.

He knelt down and I climbed his back. He stood and I shifted myself onto his shoulders, making sure to keep my weight even so I wouldn't stress out Leon. The agent stretched up as far as he could and I stretched out myself until I felt my palms touch the ledge. I gripped the ledge and pulled myself up, planting my feet on the wall and scrambled to sit on the ledge. I breathed out a sigh of relief and jumped over, bending my knees to soften my landing.

I grinned as the shock that ran up my legs was not as bad as before. I quickly went over to the large chest and peeked inside and indeed, the magnum laid there, ready to be picked up by Leon. I closed the chest and grinned at the agent, giving him a thumb's up. My hero returned my smile with a dry one.

"Uh, yeah, Rally, I would love to pick that up, but you need to unlock the door before I can."

"Oh! Sorry!" I scurried over to the lock to open it when we all heard a deep, angry growl.

And it wasn't Caleb.

Leon whirled around to see what the growl was and I looked out the barred window to see as well. What I saw made gasp out in shock. Standing not too far from us was a blacked figure of a Colmillo. The burnt fur on it made its mad green eyes stand out even more as they glowed and the wolf growled in rage. I turned away from the window and focused on unlocking the door. _One of the wolves actually survived that fire!? Jesus, how determined is that thing?!_ I jiggled the key that was still in the lock but it was stuck. _I am cursed with turning things, damnit!_

"Rally..." Leon called as the Colmillo lowered itself in preparation for a pounce. "I can't reload the shotgun in front of it, it's waiting for me to do that to get to me!"

I jiggled the key and lock even harder after hearing the agent's voice laced with fear even though Caleb stood protectively in front of him, fur standing on end in anger. _Come on, come on!_

"Rally..."

"I'm trying!"

"Come on, Rally..."

"It's stuck! The fucking key is stuck!" _Ashley, you damn lucky bitch! _I jiggled it harder as Leon pressed himself against the door. The wolf wasn't stupid, even though it was focused on the agent, it kept an eye on Caleb. I jiggled the key harder and...

_SNAP!_

I stared in horror as the key head snapped off from the rest and was still in the keyhole. _Aw hell..._ My gaped at the broken key and still locked door. _Why does shit like this always happen with me?!_

"What was that!?" Leon called as the White German Shepherd leaped at the wolf to keep it away from the agent. The two fought savagely to overpower the other as I frantically tried to figure out a way to open the door and Leon to safety. I know there was another method but between the frustration, Leon's panicked calls and the two beasts fighting, it was hard to concerntrate.

"Fuck it!" I yelled angrily and opened fire on the lock at point blank. The Colmillo had thrown off Caleb and targeted Leon, almost grinning madly at its victory. The government agent yelped out in shock as the wolf threw itself at him, jaws opening wide to rip into his throat. I finally was able to "unlock" the door and it opened inwards, causing the agent, who was pressed against it, to fall into the room.

Caleb had recovered and slammed into the wolf in mid-air, making it veer off course. Leon sat up in surprise as I knelt next to him to see if he was alright. We both watched in astonishment as the two animals became nothing more than a whirlwind of snarling black and white. I've seen my share of dogfights as a kid and each one was brutal but those were nothing compared to what Leon and I were seeing now.

The two tore at each other with claws and snapping jaws. Caleb bit the wolf's ear and mauled it as the other yelped in pain then growled angrily before pulling its head away, ripping its own ear a little. The Colmillo, in turn, sank its teeth into the shepherd's back and yanked on it, causing Caleb to yelp out. Our furred friend threw himself against the wolf, knocking them both over and he rolled over the insane Lupine, forcing it to release him. They scrambled to their feet and leaped back from each other, Caleb standing protectively in front of us as the wolf landed next to the fountain.

Our White German Shepherd was now red and gray from blood and ashes of the wolf's burnt fur and had a bad limp. The Colmillo on the other hand, had part of his left flank ripped open and its paw was bitten open. The two began to circle each other, eying the other carefully. Leon held his arm protectively in front of me as the Colmillo neared the door, but the wolf ignored us. I'm only guessing that the infected Lupine was saving us for later once it took care of Caleb. _Pfft. _Like it can take down our dog?

But, just in case... I shook the agent's arm and motioned for him to reload the shotgun while the wolf was busy. Leon nodded and quietly reloaded his weapon as the two animals continued their circle. Suddenly, the two jumped at each other and turned into another tornado of snapping fur. Even Leon was horrorified as we watched the feral battle between the beasts.

Caleb probably realized that we were all pressed for time and decided to end the fight now. He leaped away from the wolf, darted around it, bit and yanked on the Colmillo's tail. The Lupine howled in pain, whirled around and glared at the White German Shepherd that grinned mischievously. Caleb turned around and wiggled his rear at the wolf, taunting it. I swear I could see the wolf's eye twitch in rage at the act. The Colmillo snarled angrily and Caleb took off with the wolf hot on his tail.

"Caleb!" I cried out in shock, getting up to go after them. Leon grabbed my arm and pulled me back, watching the two scamper away.

"He's leading it away from us, Rally."

I sighed as we stepped out and looked around the fountain. I spotted the two running for the...broken rail of the ledge! What the hell was Caleb thinking?! I watched in horror as Caleb ran at the ledge in full speed but I remembered that he had a bad limp and that meant his running wasn't in full stride. But the wolf was despite its injured paw. Leon and I watched in surprise as Caleb suddenly skidded to a stop, turned around and stood his ground as the blackened wolf charged toward him. As the wolf sprang forward with the intent of killing the dog on its mind as it flew toward our friend. And I swear to God that I saw Caleb smirk as he just stood there.

At the last possible second, Caleb dropped to the floor in a heap. The Colmillo, realizing what was happening, howled in fear as it overshot Caleb and launched itself off the ledge. We watched in shock as the White German Shepherd stood and looked behind himself as the wolf's agunished howl echoed through the daylight. The agent and I ran up to Caleb and watched as the wolf's flailing body disappeared beyond our sight. I blinked slowly, sad that the wolf had to die that way but I guess it was better than being burnt alive. Besides, the wolf can now go on in peace and without the plaga controlling it anymore.

We headed back to the fountain to claim Leon's new weapon. I stayed at the fountain to wash and heal Caleb as the agent headed into the room to grab the magnum and the other little treasures hidden there. Caleb wagged his tail happily as I washed away the blood and ash that matted his fur with my white bandana. He only winced a few times as I washed near his wounds. I quickly applied the spray on him as soon as he was clean then squeezed the dirty water from my bandana. I rinsed off my bandana and quickly hid in the room were Leon was, who was staring at his new weapon, as our White German Shepherd friend shook himself dry.

Leon and I came out of the room after Caleb finished shaking himself off and went back the way we came.

* * *

- Rail to the Dragon Room

I scowled as Leon boarded the square platfom that was attached to a rail, fixed above a small lake of molten lava. Why Salazar has a pool of lava in his castle, I don't know. Maybe he swims in it? Or he cooks his dinner with it. Maybe he's trying to impress me by showing this off? I can imagine him saying this to me: _"Hey, honey! Look what I got! A lava lake!"_ Then I say, _"Oh, yeah? Look what __**I**__ can do with it!"_ And I can push him off the edge and watch him melt.

Or he's just a fucking crazy ass midget with faith and social issues. Who cares? All I **do** care is the fact that that stupid platform could be rigged as a booby trap! You know, like Leon gets half across and the platform decides to tip over and throw the agent into the lava? Okay, maybe it won't happen, but he's going to the Dragon Room alone. ALONE. I don't want him to go alone, I want to go with him to help. Yet, I knew he had to go alone, it was his turn to shine once more. But I had another reason for wanting to go with him.

I didn't want to be left alone.

Okay, so I won't be entirely alone since I've got Caleb for company and protection, plus my guns. And this area is pretty secure, hopefully it'll stay like that when the agent leaves. But we just rejoined and now we had to seperate again and _anything_ could happen in that short amount of time. Like a shitload of cultists bursting in on me as soon as he closes the Dragon Room door behind him. Or Leon getting burned to a crisp in that room. Now, I know for certain that he's not stupid enough to stand there like an idiot and stare at the dragon machines; while screaming _"Oh! A dragon ride!" _during his trek through that room. But I was scared of what wasn't supposed to be in there that could very likely take the agent's life.

Not a good thing when I do depend on Leon being alive to get out of here in one piece.

I frowned slightly as my hero turned toward me after checking out a map he had swiped some time ago when we first entered the castle. He noticed my worried expression, reached over and ruffled my hair a bit with a slight smile. I placed a hand on my head and tried to straighten out my hair. Caleb sat next me, wagging his tail but still looked worried about the lava. Don't worry, Caleb, you ain't the only one.

"I don't know about this. Are you sure you don't want me to come along?" I asked worriedly, yet hoped that he would allow me to come.

Leon grinned. "I'm sure, Rally. You've done enough and you need a break."

I grinned back slightly. "Says the agent who tried to skip out on eating not too long ago."

Agent Kennedy rolled his eyes good naturely at me. "Anyway, this platform only has enough room for one of us and that one is me. I need to do my part in this mission and get in some of the action. Besides," He gestured toward Caleb, who had trotted over to the stairs and began his patrols of the room. "some one needs to be with Caleb. I'm sure he doesn't want to be lonely."

"I know..." I sighed, "Okay, you win."

Leon smiled. "Good. Wait here."

He stepped on a hidden switch on the platform and the big wheel that was attached to the rail began to move him forward to the other side of the pool. I watched him tensely as he moved across and let out a breath of relief as he reached the otherside and stepped off. I waved to him when he got to the door and smiled as he waved back, opened the door and entered the room. I glanced at the platform that sat paitently there for the agent's return.

_Huh, a hidden switch. So, that's how he activates the platform in the game. Cool._

I turned and headed to Caleb as I stretched, loosening up a few tense muscles. I felt a few bones and joints pop to my action and automatic relief spread through me. Man, that felt good! I walked to one side, sat on the floor and leaned against the wall to wait for Leon. Again, man did it feel good to sit down. As I sat there, I realized that Leon was right, I **do** need a break. Faitgue had settled upon me like a weight and I grimanced at the fact that my body was somewhat too tired to move. My eyes drooped tiredly and I knew I was about to nod off but I guess it was okay. It might take Leon a while to get through that room; though, I knew he would let me still sleep if he happened to finish the room fast.

I settled back on the wall and let my head drop to my chest as my eyes closed.

And I fell asleep...

* * *

(A/N: Ooh, this part is very important. Pay close attention here because this is vital information here. So read this and keep this in mind as the story continues. **Never** forget this, if you do, reread it. It's very, _very, __**very **_important that you remember this. Why? I can't tell you guys yet directly but if you need a hint, read the title of the chapter. Thank you.)

_Darkness. That's all I saw no matter where I looked. It was above me, below me, everywhere. I was completely surrounded in the creepy void. It felt as though I was thrown into the world of _Kingdom Hearts_. Or _Max Pane 2._ Dear god, I hope not. Leon still needs me to get out of the castle and I don't want to deal with the annoying, endless cries of some dead baby. _

_Knowing that there was no point in just standing there, I picked a direction and walked. And walked. And walked. To me, I walked for endless miles for the same amount of endless hours. Just where in the hell am I? And why am I even here? I continued my walk in hopes of finding someone. Hell, I don't care if I find Saddler as long as I knew I wasn't alone out here._

_"Leon!" I called out as I moved, hoping to find him. Come on, Leon. Where are you? Maybe, he got lost as well?_

_"Caleb!" I whistled loudly to see if the dog was around and no White German Shepherd bounded towards me. Okay... this is officially freaking me out. Where are those two? I pressed onward with my fading hopes to seeing anyone. _

_"Ada!" _

_Nothing._

_"Wesker!"_

_Silence._

_Seriously, where __**is**__ everyone? I can't possibly be the only one here! There has to be someone else here! There just __**has**__ to! I continued my quest of finding someone as I trudged through the inky blackness that seemed to be the only one there with me. _

_"Salazar!" _

_I froze as I listened to myself call out his name. I just know I'm getting desperate, and I mean __**really**__ desperate, to finding someone if I'm trying to look for __**him**__. ...Not a good thing in my book. I shook off the thought as I kept going. Damnit, I shouldn't care if I find him as long as I find someone besides myself and this damn darkness._

_As I continued my trek through seemingly nowhere, a soft glowing path suddenly appeared nearby. It was off to my left and as I looked around, noticed that it was the only path there was. Should I follow it? I blinked at it and shrugged. Like I said, it was the only one there and if it doesn't appease me, I could easily turn back and try to find another. _

_I stepped onto the path and started down on it, making sure to stick to the middle. I called out every name I could think that came from Resident Evil 4. And believe me there weren't that many names in the game. Hell, I even called for Ashley but still got nothing. For a long while I just walked, looking around to see if my suroundings changed. Which they haven't. Next, I sang three songs as I continued my pace. _

_One song was _Savin' Me_, hoping that if I sang it Leon would appear, singing the other verse. _

_Nothing._

_Next was _When I'm Gone _by 3 Doors Down and hoped that would help me forget about the darkness that seemed to crowd around me._

_It did...for a while._

_Then I sang _Boulevard of Broken Dreams _by Green Day, because that was what I was doing. Walking this "street" alone. That and I had hoped that it, too, would distract me from my loneliness. It did the exact opposite._

_It made me aware of it_.

_Suddenly, the path I was on began to flicker madly, like someone was playing with a light switch. What the hell was going on?! Just then, the rest of the path before me faded away and in it's place three more intersected with what was left of mine. I blinked in surprise, looking at the three new choices as I tried to take in the sudden change of events. _

_Just what the fuck happened?_

_I blinked in shock as I suddenly discovered that I couldn't move. Not knowing what was happening or why, I peered down the paths and gasped. Each one had someone there and each one was looking back at me. Shivers went up and down my spine as I looked at each of them in confusion._

_The first one I was looking at was the person that stood at "end" of the path in front me. She, at least I think its a she, was waving to me happily. Like she was waving to a normal everyday friend. I couldn't see her face nor could I see her body, just a outline of her, like a cutout or something. But I could tell she was happy from her eyes that strangely was stood out in the dark. And if I strained my ears enough, I could hear her theme. It was..._ Savin' Me_?! Okay... weird._

_I casted at glance over to the one on my left and saw that the person there, a girl too I guess, was gazing back at me sadly. I couldn't see her face either but I could see her eyes that stood out in the darkness that masked her face, too. She was wearing a blue leather jacket that reached her ankles, a white tank top, dark gray pants and black boots. She held a black handgun and I could hear her theme. Which was... _When I'm Gone?! _What the-?!_

_I looked over to my right and saw a girl there, too. She stood in a confident stance, her arms across her chest and giving me nasty smile. She wore a dark blue...turtle neck? And some dark royal blue pants and a pair of black boots. I think she was wearing something on her face. I can't tell because of all the black surrounding us. But her theme was _Boulevard of Broken Dreams_?! The fuck?!_

_As I looked at each one again in surprise and even more confused, they each held out their right hand to me. Like they wanted to help me across the path or something. I blinked at them as they walked slowly toward me, still keeping their hands out to me. As they walked toward me, they asked me this._

_"What path will you take?"_

_Suddenly, my head was forced downward so that I was looking at the path. One hand came down to my eye level. I blinked at one of the girls' palm._

_"Are you in control?" one of them asked. _

_Another hand appeared before me._

_"Will you be melancholy?"_

_Then another._

_"Do you become vengenful?"_

_What? I blinked in confusion at the questions they were asking me. What the hell are they talking about?_

_"What path will you take?" they asked me again. _

_I opened my mouth to answer..._

* * *

I was startled awake as the rail above the lava pool began to move. I blinked in surprised and rubbed my neck at the weird dream that I had. Or was it a dream?

I shook away the thought and stood, ready to greet Leon as Caleb wagged his tail happily. Believe me, I was happy to see the agent return in one piece. Slightly burned from the looks of things and hurt, but still in one piece. I pulled out a First Aid Spray and a vial of Mixed Herbs and hurried over to the agent as he slightly stummbled off the platform.

I let him lean on me for some support as I walked him over to a wall and have him sit down. I realized that he didn't lean on me because he was injured, he did it because he was dizzy from the heat in the Dragon Room. _Uh, yeah, lava heat tends to make people pass out from heat stroke. Be glad he didn't pass out while fighting._

I quickly nursed his injuries while Leon sat there and drank from the canteen to keep himself hydrated. Caleb was doing guard duty, keeping his eyes and ears open for anymore unpleasant guests. Afterwards, I took the canteen away and helped the agent up since he was still a little dizzy and walked him to the stairs, decending the small flight of steps to the luxurious rail car. I sat him down on one of the crimson cushions, broke the vases there and grabbed whatever items were left.

Tossing the items into his attache case and taking note of the Lion Ornament (damn piece); I sat down and waited for Caleb to trot in before closing the door to the rail car. I sat down at the cushion across from Leon and just couldn't keep in a squeal of joy of sitting on something soft for the first time since forever. For the first time ever, I bless the one who designed and built this car after hours of standing and running. This is the _best_ gift ever, thank you!

A small relaxed smile appeared on Leon's face as his eyes close, obviously agreeing to whatever I was thinking. The rail care suddenly lurched forward and picked up speed as it went down the track. In turn which caused the agent to bolt upright and nearly stepped on Caleb's tail, who thankfully moved his tail out of harm's way.

I grinned sleepily at his startled expression. "Relax, Leon, we're okay. Why not take a quick nap?" Take that Ashley! You'll never experinece this in your life!

Caleb gave Leon a semi-glare as the weary agent slumped back on his seat, placing his current weapon on his lap and closing his eyes again. The White German Shepherd curled up on my side and tucked his tail beneath his body to keep it safe. I was already drifting off to sleep from both the motions of the smooth ride and the cool air brushing past. Now _this_ is relaxing.

"I don't know if I _can_ fall asleep." Agent Kennedy mumbled, "I should stay awake and make sure nothing gets us..."

"Leon, nothing's going to jump at us now. Besides, you're already nodding off and this ride is about twenty-five minutes long. Do yourself a favor and take a nap." I smiled, "If it helps...I can sing you to sleep."

Leon grinned even though he still had his eyes closed. "You sing me to sleep?"

I grinned at his challenge. "Yup. If you don't believe me then sit there and listen to me sing. Then tell me if you're still awake."

"Okay," the agent agreed, "You're on."

(A/N: I'll promise to keep this one short. Hopefully. _Sanctuary_ from Kingdom Hearts II. If you haven't played it, shame on you! J/K. No, Rally can't sing backwards so the lines that are played backwards in the actual song will be sung normally. Tough. Apologies to those who (may) hate me for what I'm about to do.)

_"Hhaaa...Ahhhaahaa...I need more affection you know... In you and I, there's a new land. Angels in flight, I need more affection you know."_ I sang softly, _"A sanctuary, my sanctuary, yeah. Where fears and lies melt away. Music inside, I need more affection you know."_

I smiled slightly as Caleb's eyes closed completely. _"What's left of me, what's left of me now..."_ I sang at was gently as I watched Leon closely, knowing fully well that he was falling asleep _"I watch you fast asleep. All I fear means nothing...!"_

I giggled lightly as the agent's head finally dropped to his chest, that rose and fell rhythmically. And he was asleep. Wow, that was fast. I smiled at him as he breathed softly in his sleep. Poor Leon, again stuck in a nightmare that has him running himself ragged to survive.

I continued the song. _"In you and I, there's a new land. Angels in flight, I need more affection you know. A sanctuary, my sanctuary, yeah. Where fears and lies melt away!" _I sang softly, _"Music inside, I need more affection you know. What's left of me, what's left of me..."_

I bobbed my head to the silent tune of the song. _"So many ups and downs, my heart's a battleground."_ I sang referring to my emotions toward him. My gaze sleepily fell on his mouth and I blushed as a thought suddenly popped into my head. My gaze shot back up to his eyes. He was still asleep. _Should I? _I leaned forward to him slowly but paused a few inches away from my target. _Seriously... should I?_

Suddenly the next line of the song came to mind. _"True emotions. I need more affection you know, I need true emotions."_

Shook my head. _No. It wouldn't be right. Leon...Leon doesn't have that same affection for me. Being his friend, that's my place and should be my only affection to him. Nothing more. Ada...she has his heart and I shouldn't interfere. _I smiled a little. _Lucky woman in red. _Instead, I aimed a bit higher and brushed my lips softly on my new target, being careful to not wake the agent. I leaned back and smiled to myself as the agent shifted slightly and mumbled once again about Ada. I giggled softly at his action as I curled up on my seat and allowed slumber to overtake me once again.

I just gave Leon Scott Kennedy a friendly kiss and that was more than enough for me.

_Sleep well, little agent. Things are gonna get tougher after this... _

* * *

OMG! Rally just kissed Leon! (le gasp) Sorry, girls, it was only on the forehead. Friendly kisses are always there. Made you think she was actually going to steal a kiss? (laughs) Nah, Rally ain't that naughty, but you knew she wanted too. What other suprises await you in future chappies? I dunno, you tell me. If any of you have an idea or a suggestion on what I should for the next chapter either tell me on the review or drop me a line on my e-mail. Evilvixen05(at)gmail(dot)com.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chappy and thank you all for sticking by me and waiting for these slow updates.

Chat with ya later!

Wait... hold on. Don't go anywhere until you guys at least give me a review. A lot people read my fic but don't leave a review. I can't do a better job unless I know how you liked the chapter. I use reviews as a way to imporve my writing to keep you guys on the edge of your seats! I'm aiming to have at least ten reviews between chappies, that way I know that I still got fans out there!

See that little purple box that says "Submit Review"? It's on the bottom left hand corner of your screen. See it now? Good. Click "Go". Go on. Click it. Now type in what you like (or don't like) about the chapter and submit it. See? Wasn't that easy? Don't glare at me like that. You're not gonna break your fingers by typing in a few sentences, now are you? Besides, I always reply to my reviews!

Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

...Okay, you can go now.


	23. Weapon Exhibit and Unsuspected Rage!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists!

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** I am SO sorry for taking so damn long with this chappy! You see... I caught by the deadly creative slump and writer's block! le gasp I wasn't able to easily escape, so I had to take time off and play Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles for inspiration. And replay Resident Evil 4 to make sure I wasn't off track, missing items, rooms or what-have-you. But in the end, I was able to escape! Yays for me! So again, I apologize for taking long! I hope you enjoy this chappy and furture ones! Thank you!

**Final Note:** 122 reviews! Wow, that's a lot for just a fic with 23 chappies. blush I didn't know that I'm becoming an idol to some of you. smile Thank you, you guys are my idols for being there to read my fic. I would love to thank all of you for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

Everyone gets a Rally bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Combat Rally w/ a smile and holding a grenade) _"Got Grenades?"_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!! WESKER TOO!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you! May you two continue to bless this fic as I add flavors from both you and I! I shall promise to keep the originallity going! And may you help me along the way, if I stray from this promise. Thank you, truly.

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Twenty-Two: Weapons Exhibit, An Unsuspected Rage And A Dagger?

- Audience Hall

I glared at the hollow Chimera mural as Leon dug around in his attache case for the pieces. Man, the Salazar Family must have been pretty paranoid to create this puzzle. I mean, seriously were those times that bad or did they do it to keep their crazy relatives out? If they did then they missed one. I frowned a bit as the agent set aside the Goat Ornament and rummaged around for the other two pieces. I glanced at it then at the picture. So all that running, shooting, freaking out, losing my innocence, and losing Luis was to gather these three pieces and solve a puzzle.

**One fucking puzzle.**

_Salazar, you crazy ass son of a bitch. You have truly flipped beyond all reason._

Leon smiled as he revealed the other two pieces and handed them to me. He picked up the other one and we stood before the Chimera mural. I handed him the Lion Ornament in exchange for the Goat Ornament and he set the first piece in. The Lion piece clicked into place and we waited for something to happen. Actually, I knew that the wall won't come down until all the pieces were in place. I was just waiting to see if any cultists were gonna barge in before we finished the picture puzzle.

When nothing happened, we proceed with the puzzle. I gave Leon the Goat Ornament and he placed it into its slot right behind the Lion. It clicked into place and we waited to see if any surprises were gonna pop out now. Again, nothing happened and I looked at the Serpent piece. The final piece to the puzzle and the very piece that Luis had died right before my eyes. I went through hell trying to get this one but had to see Luis suffer before I could go get it. It was as if the Serpent Ornament had sank its vemonous fangs into Luis' fate beforehand. Just thinking about him and this thing at same time made me want to chuck the stone piece to the floor and blast it with the shotgun.

Stupid Serpent Oranment.

I pushed aside my anger and pushed the ass end of the Chimera pieces into its spot. At first, nothing happened and I began to growl in frustration. _Oh, don't fucking tell me we have to get something else to make it move!_ After a few seconds, the wall in front of us shuddered as a low rumble sounded. The chimera fresco disappeared from our view as the wall sank to the floor, yielding passage to us and revealed the room beyond.

We both stepped into the new room and Leon's eyes drifted about in search of traps that may spring out. I, on the other hand, began to make my way to the open doorway on the right. Seeing nothing that'll harm us, the agent followed and we went up the stairs. Upon arrival to the room above, the government agent knocked aside the Saddler portrait and grabbed the Gold Bars. I smashed a small vase that sat on a pedstal behind Leon and snatched up a Hand Grenade. Score! Now I have an amazing...one Hand Grenade. Yay, for me!

We stepped onto the balcony that Salazar had been on when we first ran into him. Something sparkled on a wall across from where we were and I suddenly remembered. We never actually got the treasure from this area beforehand. I turned toward Leon and Caleb with a grin.

"Hey, Leon." I called and the agent turned to me. I pointed toward the shiny object, my grin never wavering. "Shoot that shiny thing."

(A/N: For the record... Rally never got the Red Gem from the garden maze. I kinda forgot to add it there and decided to have it get picked up now. Sorry, for any confusion.)

The blonde agent looked wary. "Why?"

I smiled. "Well, important things are shiny. Besides, if its not anything important then we can sell it for pesetas. You can never have too much pesetas out here."

Leon inclined his head at the logic then nodded. "True. Fine, go down stairs and I'll shoot it down."

"Sure." I said as I headed for the stairs. The blonde agent then quickly told Caleb to go with me as he turned to face the shiny object on the wall. The White German Shepherd bounded after me as I took the steps two at time. I scurried over to where the Red Gem would fall and waited for Leon to fire. Caleb looked around, noticing the vases that where there and became curious. He head over to them and knocked one over to look inside.

"Okay, Leon! I got it!" I called as I looked over to see the agent stand on the balcony. I smiled as I watched him judge the levels and raised his gun. As I watched him adjust his aim, I suddenly pictured him differently. In the light of room while he stood on the balcony, he looked... cuter. I then began to imagine how the castle looked back in it's prime and instead of the Salazars in charge, it was Leon's ancestors. I mean, he looked like type to have nobleman's blood, right? Well, anyway, I pictured it in my head and I kinda saw how Leon looked back then, wrapped up in aristocrat clothing. And man, did he look hot in those! I blushed as I pictured him in those clothes, standing on the balcony and addressing to the nobles that used to come here. He looked... so regal... standing there...

_WHAM!_

I yelped out in pain as my hands flew up to the top of my head and I grimanced after something hard bounced off my skull. Leon yelped out in shock and called out to me in concern. I glanced downward and saw the Red Gem on the carpet at my feet. I glared at it as my hero jumped down from the balcony and jogged up to me.

"Hey, Rally, are you okay?" Leon asked as he approached. I grimanced again from the pain and rubbed the spot where the Gem had slammed onto, then afterwards nodded. The agent smiled a bit in relief. "Good." Then he raised a brow. "I thought you said you had it."

I rubbed the spot gingerly, "Yeah, I got it alright." I frowned at the little red jewel again. _Stupid Gem falling on my head while I was picturing Leon as a nobleman. Wait... that was my fault. Gah... these fangirl thoughts are gonna kill me one of these days. _

Agent Kennedy scooped up the red jewel and popped it into place on the Elegant Mask. I blinked in confusion. Wasn't the Green Gem supposed to... wait... the Green Gem was already on the mask when I found it. Oh, well, whatever works. We both jumped in surpise at the sudden crash and whirled around, expecting to see at least a half a dozen cultists right there... but all we got was a comical sight.

Caleb had poked his head and half of his body into a vase and now... he couldn't get out. The poor dog was stuck. The German Shepared whined as he tried to crawl back out on his own and ended up just rolling along with the vase. He braced his back paws on the rim of the vase and pushed against it, his bushy tail sticking straight out at the strain. Leon snickered good-naturedly at the sight, shaking his head slightly. I hid a giggle then walked up to help our faithful pooch.

"Aw, poor Caleb. Don't worry, I'll get you out of there real quick, boy." I said gently and Caleb wagged his tail, happy about the news.

Leon crossed his arms over his chest, a brow raised and a teasing smile on his boyish face. "_'Poor Caleb'_?He's just stuck in vase. He wasn't nearly barbecued by a giant dragon thing."

I cast Leon a sly smile. "I know, but I knew you wouldn't be dumb enough to stand still and get grilled by one." My grin grew wider, "Besides, I recall you saying that you needed to enter that room on your own."

The blonde agent mocked a grimance. "Ooh, got _burned_ there."

I laughed again as I walked over to the white dog. "Yes, my blonde rescuer, you did."

I quickly had Caleb stay still and broke the vase around him with my survival knife. The pieces of vase fell away and Caleb looked up at us in joy, wagging his tail happily. Leon took one look at him and bursted out in laughter again and I loved his laughed. I glanced at our furry friend to see why would the handsome agent be laughing about and what I saw made me laugh as well. Caleb looked at us both, wondering what could make an agent and a college girl laugh. I'll tell you; he had a piece of vase sitting on his head like a hat. Caleb cocked his head to one side and made the scene all the more funny.

After our laughing fit, we ventured through the door that was on a small flight of stairs. Beyond it was another tramcar and rail, plus goodies sitting on either side of the tiny platform. Leon and I each took a side and cracked open the small vases to see what was there. The agent discovered Spinel and I found a box of shotgun shells, which I handed to Leon right away. We climbed aboard the tramcar and settled into our seats, Caleb sitting next to me with a happy look on his face. I had to smile and give the dog a good scratch behind the ears at which the agent grinned as the White German Shepherd panted in delight.

The tramcar pulled away from the platform much more smoothly that the first one and we silently went down the rail to our next destination. The gentle rocking of the little car was more than enough to soothe Leon into a drowsy state, though he did try to fight it off.

"Want me to sing you to sleep again, Leon?" I teased as he stretched out on his side.

He smirked, "No, thank you."

I acted miffed. "Oh? And why not? Don't like my singing?"

"You're singing is fine, Rally. But if I'm going to close my eyes, I only want to nap, not sleep the whole day away." Agent Kennedy teased back even though his eyelids drooped slightly and started closing. I grinned as he mumbled something about Ada once more and he was fast asleep. Caleb soon followed the agent's example, curling up on the floor to sleep. I stayed awake a bit longer, enjoying the soft breeze that whipped around us as the little tramcar continued its journey to the otherside of the castle.

Then I curled up on my seat and fell asleep, dreaming about my family that waited for me at home...

* * *

I felt a gentle nudge in my sleep and opened my eyes sleepily, blinking slowly so that the world could come into focus. Except, the only world that seemed to come into focus was an electric blue world. I blinked a bit more rapidly in confusion. _What the-?_

"Hey, Rally. The railcar stopped moving, we're here... wherever we are." Leon said softly and I suddenly realized that I was staring right into his eyes. He wasn't _that_ close to me but he was leaning toward me while he was shaking me awake. I blinked and hid a blush that threatened to spring out. _Keep a leash on fangirl stuff. I'm his friend, remember that Rally, his __**friend**__. Nothing more, nothing less and be grateful. No fangirl thoughts. Bad fangirl thoughts._

I sat up slowly, at least enough for him to back away as I sat upright. I pretended to rub the sleep from my eyes, which was difficult to do with Wesker's shades still on my face. Leon eyed the shades with a raised brow, the dark glasses finally catching his interest. Or maybe they had already caught his interest but was he only now just showing his curiousity.

"Rally," Leon hesitated as he gently plucked them from my face, "where did you get these sunglasses?"

I watched him as he studied them critically and hid a gulp. "I, uh...had them..." I glanced downward and noticed my sidepack, still strapped around my waist. "...in my pouch!"

"The whole time?" he questioned as he continued to look over them carefully. I nodded silently as the agent tilted his head to study the shades in a different angle.

"Y-yeah. They were my father's and he gave them to me six years ago." I lied, hoping Leon would buy the story and give me back those shades. He looked over the sunglasses for another minute before he flicked his gaze to me, blue eyes slightly narrowed.

"Come on, we need to keep moving." Leon said, giving me the shades back and therefore dropping the current subject for our mission on getting the hell out of this castle. But from the tone of his voice... I think he didn't believe me and duh, yeah, I'm lying to him but he didn't know that. Did he?

"Uh, right." I agreed, tucking the shades into the pouch to prove that I "hid" them there. And I think I saw Leon narrow his eyes again at my action but then it could just very well be me. We got off the tramcar, Caleb sniffing around for snakes as Leon set to work on breaking the two vases right next to the little railcar. I went around to the other side of the platform and broke the vase that was there, then moved to the large painting that hung on the wall. It was a lovely piece of art, no doubt the original painting, so I carefully removed it from the wall.

And behind it was a large hole about the exact same length of the painting. That puzzled me, why would the hole be that big if it was just hiding a small stack of Gold Bars? Well, I can't really blame Salazar for this because he wasn't the one that built the hole. But I can blame him for being stupid as to use that much space for gold bars. He could at least hide something a bit more worthwhile in it, like a Rocket Launcher. But no, he just hid his cheap secret stash of gold. I looked at the hole, it was big enough to fit a person in it.

I smiled mischieviously.

"Hey, Leon! Check this out!"

The agent turned to see what was up and did a double take, staring at me in confusion. I laughed as from my little spot as I held my pose, trying to keep still.

Leon raised a brow at me. "Rally, what the hell are you doing?" he asked as Caleb wagged his tail as if clapping for my performance.

I grinned, "I'm a statue."

Agent Kennedy gave me a half grin as he walked toward where I was, studying my pose. I smiled as he looked up at me as I stood in the tall hole in the wall. "Well, you're not getting points for that pose."

I stiffened, frowning playfully from my spot. "And why not?"

His half grin bloomed into a boyish smile and I was _real close_ on jumping from my spot and tackling him to the marble floor for that smile. He was cute as it is but that smile made him ultra sexy, no wonder Ada hid in the dark. I bet she was secretly taking pictures of him smiling then staring at them for hours on end. I wonder if she could give me copies if I asked her?

"Because, my sassy friend, no one's going to believe your _"helpless girl"_ pose-" He waved a hand to himself, "-if you wearing same outfit as me while having grenades around your waist, along with two guns strapped to your legs."

I tilted my head at his answer then realized, even though he was teasing, he was right. I hopped down from the hole and gave him a half grin. "You're no fun." I teased as I handed him the Gold Bars.

He took them and stuffed them into his attache case while still smiling. "Yes, I know. I'm a fun sucker." He chuckled as he brought out the Blacktail, "Now, let's go suck the fun from Salazar by going through his stuff."

I smiled as I brought out my Handgun, "Aha! I knew you would enjoy this sooner or later! Let's go!"

* * *

- Corridor Of Royalty (name from the Wii version player's guide)

As soon as we stepped past the door, we were greeted by a sweet smell that filtered from the room. I took a quick whiff of it and recognized it instantly as the lovely smell of the outdoors. The area here was much warmer compared to the rest of the castle (except for the Dragon Room obviously) and we both welcomed the warmth. The walls were painted a dark emerald green and trimmed with dark wood. Paintings, a few I assumed were portraits of the Salazar Family, filled the walls in a tasteful manner, really bringing the room together. We lowered our weapons and stepped further into the room, looking around in awe as Caleb sat down and waited for us to move out.

"Wow..." Leon breathed as he allowed his eyes to take in the lovely decor. "This is really nice."

I nodded in agreement. "I know, it's so beautiful here." I smiled slightly, letting the warm breeze that filled the room, from unseen open windows, soothe my nerves. I didn't know that my body was that tense. Even Leon relaxed at the pleasant slience of the corridor. I took a step closer to one of the paintings, examing it as the agent wander off to scope out the northern half of the area. Caleb had gone off to sniff around, probably make sure there weren't any traps as I looked at a painting of a lovely young woman. I guess she was the wife of one of the castellans several decades back.

"Hey, Leon. This area is pretty safe, maybe we can find some clues around here." I said as checked my Handgun, half a clip, not too bad.

"My thoughts exactly," the agent remarked as he returned from his search of the northern corridor. "Besides, we can't go further. The doors that lead out of here are locked by a lattice."

I pretened to grimance at the news. "I guess the key's gotta be here somewhere."

Agent Kennedy shook his head. "It's not locked by normally. It's another one of Salazar's crazy puzzles."

I sighed. _As if we don't get enough of those. Thank you Salazar, now give yourself a great big kick in the ass._ "Okay, what's this one about?"

"_'A toast to our Royal Majesty.'_" Leon said, quoting the inscription he had found on his search, "It's repeated twice, one on each bust that I found. Apparently, we need to find and bring back two grails that belong to the King and Queen."

I frowned, knowing exactly what this meant and still feeling a bit disappointed. Even Caleb whimpered at the news. _And why is this a surprise? You know the game and this adventure is following it to the letter, mostly. You knew that it was going to happen! It's not like Salazar's gonna open the back door, let you go through and give you a box of assorted cookies as an apology for all the shit that's been happening._

No, but it would have been nice.

"Whoopie-fucking-doo... another scavenger hunt." I griped dryly, "We _must_ be lucky to have a host like him."

Leon grinned at the sarcasm that dripped from my tone. "Yes, how fortunate we must be." He glanced at the map, "Left or right?"

I walked to his side and looked at th map he held and pointed to the room on the left, marked on the parchment. _Correction: our right since we're facing south. _"The Weapon Exhibit sounds promising. Maybe we can find a new weapon there as well as one of the grails."

Th agent nodded in agreement as he rolled up the map and placed it in his attache case. "Okay, and if we're lucky we can find both grails in the room." He sighed as he brought out his weapon. "Come on, let's go see what fun shit Salazar has planned for us."

I brought out my own weapon and followed the agent as he headed toward the door that led to the Weapon Exhibit. Caleb stuck close to us as we went, ears open for near silent noise and nose on alert for hidden smells. I smiled as Leon grabbed the knob on the door. Man, the three of us make a pretty good team. My smile faltered. _But if Luis had survived, the four us would have been an excellent team. Perhaps enough to help Chris and Jill keep Umbrella down. _

* * *

-Weapon Exhibit

Leon opened the door slightly, quickly letting his eyes survey the room first before pushing the golden door all way and let the barrel of his gun sweep the room once more. All was clear as I hoped it was as I joined him the room, letting myself look around the room to make sure there were no changes. And nothing had changed in the rather dull weapons room, it was still had all those axes and swords; one of the weapons caught my interest and the room still had the odd chessboard-like floor. There were two suits of armor on pedastals in the center of the room and surrounding them, besides the cheap white and orange tiles, were four large red tiles.

The agent ignored the door with the golden Las Plagas seal on it and headed straight for the door on the left. He jiggled the knob and frowned, seeing that it was locked on the eastern side. I inspected the red tiles and to my relief, they were pressure pads just like in the game. Suddenly, Caleb growled and scrabbled at the northern door, whimpering in frustration that the door refused to move. Leon turned away from his door and quickly went to Caleb as I did the same.

"What's up, Caleb? What did you find?" the blonde agent asked as Caleb whined and scrabbled at the door a bit more furiously with his claws. Leon narrowed his eyes at the dog's desperation then quickly examined the Las Plagas seal door, cursing under his breath since it was locked as well. But before I was able to mention the inscription, he found it himself, tilting his head as confusion filled his blue gaze. "_'Four Knights shall clear the path'_? What four knights?"

"Us." I answered, causing him to turn to me in surprise. I smiled as I slid a step to the side to let him see the two Knights in the center of the room as well as the red pressure pads. I almost sighed in dreamy satisfaction as I saw the agent's eyes light up at the answer.

"I get it." Agent Kennedy mumbled as he made his way to the twin Knights. He stopped by one and started pushing it to one of the back pads, intent on solving this puzzle and see what was behind door number one. I grinned as I headed to the other one and started pushing it to the other back pad, intent on helping the cute blonde solve the puzzle and confront Salazar.

Together, Leon and I were able to push our Knights onto the back pressure pads as Caleb watched our backs. After the red tiles sunk to the floor, we jogged over to the front pads, the ones facing the Las Plagas door, and stood on them. The pressure pads sank in and leveled off with the floor and the door in front of us slid upwards, showing us the next room. Leon brought out the Blacktail and I got out the Handgun, readying ourselves for whatever came. I quickly told Caleb to stay in the room. There was no point of bringing him with us into the next room, not with that killer ceiling and the drill coming afterwards.

* * *

- Falling Ceiling Room

Leon and I enetered the next room and growled as we spotted Salazar waiting for us. He had his back to us, gazing at the angelic portraits that decorated the light brown room. Leon focused his gaze at little Castellan while my eyes flickered to the floor. There were a pool of dried blood splattered near the other door and yes, the floor had the numerous holes in it. Gee, I wonder what they're for?

"I think you've lived long enough." Salazar said casually, earning a glare and a low growl from the agent. The little midget smirked as he looked over his shoulder, an evil glint in his yellow eyes. "Let's see if you can survive this time." He raised his arm over his head and flicked his hand as a signal.

At first nothing happened, but then the door behind us slammed shut and a low rumble echoed through out the room. Leon whipped around and watched the door, letting his eyes go over the wall warily to see what was going to happen. A shower of dust and the shuddering sound above us caused the agent to look up and stare in shock as the ceiling quivered from where it was. Long metal spikes slid out in unsion with a loud _shh-ink!_ from the ceiling.

I took aim at the ceiling while Salazar let out his trademark giggle. Leon lowered his gaze and snarled, firing his weapon at the little fleeing Spainard. The round whizzed through the air and missed as the eighth Castellan disappeared through the open doorway and locked it. We were trapped in the room as the ceiling began to decend. The agent hissed angrily, cursing the round for missing his target.

"Leon, forget the little fucker! Focus! We got our own problem!" I snapped, aiming for one of the red flashing lights as the ceiling shuddered its way down. Leon glared at the door Salazar had disappeared through a moment longer before turing his vision to the red lights. I fired on one light, shattering it and discovered a terrible thing.

The ceiling was dropping faster.

"We're gonna have to be quick!" Leon called, noticing the rate the spiked ceiling was going. He fired at the light next to him and the ceiling began to pick up on speed right after the light's destruction. Two lights down and ten more feet to go before the spikes reach us.

We both aimed at the final two lights and I prayed that hitting the two at the same time wouldn't drop the whole ceiling on us. Suddenly, the spikes surrounding the final two lights began to pop in and out of their holes, creating a barricade. But what was worse was the fact that the other spikes had lengthen and began to pop in and out as well, only at random times.

"Shit!" I hissed as we dodged the spikes, making it that much harder to target the lights. The ceiling was less than seven feet above us and getting closer. We aimed at the lights and fired but we timed it incorrectly and the spikes blocked the rounds. "Damn it!"

"Just keep firing!" the agent said, hissing in pain as one of the spikes grazed his right arm. The ceiling was now five and half feet above us as we fired wildly in hopes of hitting the two lights at the same time.

Five feet.

I dodged a spike again and fired, the round going wide.

Four feet.

Leon arched his body to the side to dodge a spike and fired, missing the light too.

Three and half feet.

Caleb automatically began to snarl and bark from the other side of the sealed door. I guess Salazar ran into him. I mentally rolled my eyes as I fired. _Duh, Salazar has to get past Caleb to leave the exhibit; unless he as a secret passage to go through and Caleb is just barking because he knows we're in trouble._

Two and half feet.

We're running out of ammo!

Two feet.

Leon and I fired the last rounds of our clips.

One and half feet.

Agent Kennedy glared at the door Salarzar escaped into, eyes burning in rage. I closed my eyes and prayed that those rounds won't miss. _Come on, come on!_

One foot.

There was the sounds of glass breaking and the ceiling lurched to a halt a lound _BAM!_ The mechanical gears within the walls screeched, straining to stop the trap as the door that Salazar fled into unlocked. I cracked open my eyes and looked around as the blonde agent looked up at the ceiling warily. We both froze and waited to see if anything was going to jump out at us. When nothing happened, Leon slapped in a fresh clip and glared at the door that led into the accursed hall. And I stared in surpise as I saw his eyes give off a small but harsh glow.

I involuntarily shivered at the sight, knowing that the agent was pissed. Or was it part of the plaga's still limited control? Suddenly, Caleb let out a yelp of pain and the entrance to the exhibit open then close.

Salazar had escaped.

Leon snapped.

_**"That son of a bitch is gonna pay for this!"**_ he snarled, running over to the door, kicked it off its hinges and bolted through.

"Leon, wait!" I cried as I grabbed the box of handgun ammo, holstering my empty gun and chased after him. _I have to stop him! He's not thinking clearly! Damn that plaga! _By the time I reached the door, Leon had already rounded the corner at a dead run. "Leon! Slow down!"

* * *

-Death's Hall

I entered the tiny hall and headed for the corner, poking my head around it and found that Leon was already more than half way down the corridor. Which, I noticed, was a bit more longer than in the game. I growled and went around the corner, entering the hallway as the agent blazed into the storage room. I took a few running steps further into the hall when a sudden low growl of machinery sounded behind me and the whole hall quaked.

I spun around in surprise at the noise. _Now?! But I'm not near the storage room yet!_

_CRASH!_

The wall in front of me exploded into bits and chunks of rubble as the drill tank, driven by two zealots, plowed through the stone. The giant whirring and snarling machine scared the hell out of me as I whirled back around and took off in sprint. The corridor now seemingly far longer than before and I felt like I was just running in place.

_**"LEON!"**_ I screamed as the drill tank rumbled after me, the monks eager to either drill me to death or just plain run me over. I didn't care, all I wanted was to get away from them as fast as possible. Agent Kennedy whipped around and stared in shock at the giant metal thing covered in spikes; the drill attached on the front screeched for blood as the sides of the drill tore into the walls, seemingly feasting upon the destruction.

Leon mouthed out a curse as he ran forward but a metal gate dropped down and barred his path. He braced his legs and tried to lift it but it refused to budge, locked onto the floor until the trap either did its job or someone shut it off. "_Rally!_"

My lungs ached for air and the muscles in my legs screamed for a break, but I knew I couldn't stop running. So, I imagined the drill tearing into my back, ripping a hole in me and I found the capacity to run faster. The sounds of my ragged breathing was lost to the snarling of the drill as it clawed its way toward me.

All other noise was drowned out by the whirring death trap, except for the high whine of bullets that whizzed above me. I glanced forward and saw that Leon was firing madly at the grinning zealots with the Blacktail. But the shots were being deflected by the drill and the monks cackled at the futile attempts.

"Semi-Auto!" I yelled, raising my voice so Leon could hear me. "Use the rifle!"

Leon threw the Blacktail aside to his right and brought out the attache case and struggled with it, trying to get the Semi-Auto rifle. Ignoring the dried blood stains that covered the floor, I ran faster, hoping to gain more ground and-

_WHAM!_

-I bounced off something hard in front of me. I blinked upwards in confusion, ignoring the pain that coursed through me and then stared in horror at what stopped me.

It was another metal gate.

_Shit._

I rattled the gate, even rammed it but it wouldn't budge. I stared at Leon helplessly as he fumbled with the rifle, clearly scared and angry at the same time. Then I looked over my shoulder and stared in terror as the drill tank ripped at the walls to get to me.

_So this is it for me. _

I closed my eyes and bowed my head.

_Rumble, rumble...!_

_WHIRRRRRRR...!_

_Rumble, rumble!_

_It's game over for me..._

_BLAM!_

The gate in front of me slid up and I fell forward, lying a daze, confused as to what was going on.

_"RALLY! RUN!!"_ Leon screamed and I snapped out of my daze and confusion. I scrambled to my feet and raced down the hall with mixed emotions coursing through me. Fright and delight won over the others as I blitzed my way toward my hero. But how did Leon open that gate?

I dared a peek over my shoulder and saw the answer. _Ohh, two drivers... two gates. _The agent had nailed one of the pilots, the headless corpse slumped in its seat. The other crazy cultist driver didn't seem to care, only grinning insanely as he continued to drive the drill forward.

Fucking pyscho.

Leon aimed for the other zealot as both the drill and I neared the end of the corridor. But I quickly pulled ahead, gaining an easy ten feet. To be honest, I was exhausted both physically and emotionally as I collapsed against the gate, panting harshly. The agent blasted the second monk, its head shattering into a messy rain of blood and the gate shot up at the Illuminado's death. My hero smiled at their deaths but his expression of relief quickly switched to alarm as he noticed that the drill wasn't stopping.

Reaching out for me, Leon hastily lifted me up, held me close as he turned and ran from the door, throwing the rifle next to the Blacktail. He quickly went to the farthest corner away from the door as the snarl of the machine finally reached the doorway. It slammed into the wall and the drill tore at it, sending chunks of stone flying as it plowed through. Leon pressed himself against me, sandwitching me into the corner protectively as the debris flew everywhere. The drill tank collided into the next wall and drilled a hole in it, sending more stones flying. But soon the roar of the engine turned into a dying choke as the machine finally stopped moving and it settled to the floor with a soft sigh.

Dust filled the air as the agent eased himself away hesitantly, watching the machine for anything else with a wary eye. Other than the hissing of the overheated engine, the drill tank was no longer functioning and therefore no longer a hostility. Which is more than enough to say that nothing else was going to get us for a while. The dust settled as the blonde agent backed away to check on me as I slumped against the corner, breathing heavily.

"Are you okay, Rally?" he asked softly, placing his hands on my shoulders reassuringly.

"Y-yeah. Th-thanks, Leon." I answered tiredly, taking deep breaths to calm my jittering nerves and recover as quickly as possible. And stop my body from quivering from the aftermath of an andrenaline rush and the shock of what had taken place a few minutes ago. Leon smiled at me before he moved away to recollect his weapons. I blew my breath out and forced my body to stop shaking as the agent checked the guns over.

Afterwards, I helped him loot the room, grabbing another box of handgun ammo as the agent returned to his foul mood and muttered to himself. I frowned disapprovingly as I picked up the Velvet Blue and Spinel. Leon dumped the box of rifle ammo into his attache case as well as the box of shotgun shells he found. He then poured the pesetas into his money pouch before opening the cabinet and grabbing the Elegant Chessboard and shoving it into his case.

I followed him silently as he stalked over to where the red chest was and watched as he flicked the lid open. The agent peered inside, his eyes darkening as he reached in and grasped the item inside. He pulled it out and in his hand was the Queen's Grail. He glared at it.

"He nearly killed you twice for this." he hissed, referring to the golden goblet, "To protect this thing! You nearly died because he wanted to protect a _**fucking**_ cup!"

From the way he was glaring at it, I was sure that Leon was on the verge of crushing the grail in his hand. I reached over and wrenched the important item from his grip. He glared at me and I glared back. "Leon, it's not just a cup! It's a key! One of the keys we need to get the hell out of here!"

"But-!"

"But nothing! We need this thing and you know it!" I snapped, then lowered my eyes as I spoke softly. "Besides, this isn't like you, Leon. You're scaring me."

At those words, Leon stared at me in surprise, completely shocked about what I said. I lifted my gaze and saw that the darkness in his eyes had faded and they returned to their normal bright hue. His shoulders slumped and lowered his gaze in shame for letting his rage (and the plaga, but I'm not telling him about it yet) get ahold of him and cloud his judgement.

"I-I'm sorry, Rally..." Leon mumbled, "I almost got you killed for being like that..."

I smiled at him, trying to cheer him up and put this behind us. "Hey, it's okay, Leon. I'm still alive thanks to you! So everything's all right. It wasn't your fault." I said reassuringly. _Right, it was going to happen whether you were calm or not. Nothing you can do about it, really. Damn castle psychos and parasites. _"Come on, let's go pick up Caleb and find the King's Grail."

Leon gave a small boyish grin, "Right. But before we go frolicking to the next item and our next near-death experience, I suggest a break at the merchant's place."

I smirked. "Sure, why not? We earned it!"

I packed away the grail as the agent kicked the door open.

* * *

-Weapon Exhibit

We enetered the room and found Caleb curled on the floor in a heap. We stared in surprise before running over to him and checking him out. At first, I thought that Salazar had killed the dog but it seemed he was only able to kick Caleb pretty hard. The midget had bruised the dog's leg, other than a slight limp, Caleb was perfectly fine. I breathed out a sigh of relief as Leon gave the dog a good scratch behind the ears. I found out why.

Caleb had jumped Salazar as he was fleeing and bit him the ass.

I giggled as Leon took the scrap of bluish cloth from Caleb's mouth and packed it away a souviner. As the agent packed away the rifle he had carried over to the room, I took a look around the weapons and found the dagger that caught my interest. It was beautifully made, the design was familiar but I couldn't quite remember from where I saw it before. Other than having the stupid Los Illuminados insigna. Anyway, it was sleek and can be easily hidden. I tucked it into my boot as Leon finished packing his gear and called me over.

"Okay, Rally, let's go!"

"Alright! Time for a break!" I cooed to Caleb. "We're getting a break! Isn't that great, boy?"

Caleb barked happily, obviously agreeing to the idea.

"Yeah, now let's go before the two of you spazz from the excitment." Leon teased, opening the door. I smiled and followed him with the White German Shepherd keeping close.

"Right, says the agent who's more than happy for break." I teased back, "Maybe we can try the shooting range again!"

And the three of us left as a figure stepped from the shadows and smiled.

"Just a little bit more..." the figured said softly.

* * *

WHOOT! Another chappy DONE! FINALLY! No thanks to that stupid creative slump and writer's block, a deadly combo those two. I'm so sorry for such a long delay! Anyway, that's a shocker huh? Leon getting all that pissed, who would have thought? And man, those traps. I had to play the same file several times to make sure I describe both traps well enough to satisfy you readers. Well, I hope it's good enough for you guys.

So, what funny, cute and exciting thing should do in the next chappy? I have an idea but I want to hear you guys' pitches too. Nothing's more exciting than seeing several ideas blend together to make a real good chapter!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chappy and thank you all for sticking by me and waiting for these slow updates.

Chat with ya later!

Wait... hold on. Don't go anywhere until you guys at least give me a review. A lot people read my fic but don't leave a review. I can't do a better job unless I know how you liked the chapter. I use reviews as a way to imporve my writing to keep you guys on the edge of your seats! I'm aiming to have at least ten reviews between chappies, that way I know that I still got fans out there!

See that little purple box that says "Submit Review"? It's on the bottom left hand corner of your screen. See it now? Good. Click "Go". Go on. Click it. Now type in what you like (or don't like) about the chapter and submit it. See? Wasn't that easy? Don't glare at me like that. You're not gonna break your fingers by typing in a few sentences, now are you? Besides, I always reply to my reviews!

Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

...Okay, you can go now.


	24. King's Grail Battle Knightmare!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists!

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** I am SO sorry for taking so damn long with these updates! You see... I caught by the deadly creative slump and writer's block! le gasp I wasn't able to easily escape, so I had to take time off and play Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles for inspiration. And replay Resident Evil 4 to make sure I wasn't off track, missing items, rooms or what-have-you. But in the end, I was able to escape! Yays for me! So again, I apologize for taking long! I hope you enjoy this chappy and furture ones! Thank you! (Plus now that I have College Math II, my updates are gonna be slower than ever. Curse thee math. Sorry, guys.)

**Final Note:** 133 reviews! Wow, that's a lot for just a fic with 23 chappies. blush I didn't know that I'm becoming an idol to some of you. smile Thank you, you guys are my idols for being there to read my fic. I would love to thank all of you for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

Everyone gets a Rally bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Combat Rally w/ a Rocket Launcher) _"Who else wants to piss me off?!"_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!! WESKER TOO!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you! May you two continue to bless this fic as I add flavors from both you and me! I shall promise to keep the originallity going! And may you help me along the way, if I stray from this promise. Thank you, truly.

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Twenty-Three: King's Grail Battle Knightmare!

- Merchant's Shop and Shooting Gallery

After our run in with Salazar and Leon's unsuspected rage, we decided to rest at the merchant's shop. Once there, Caleb automatically leaped onto one of the couches and fell asleep. Leon wanted to try the Shooting Gallery again to beat his old score and vent out some anger he still had. I, on the other hand, decided to stay with the merchant and sell the treasures while the agent chose to take up the _Sniping_ course B.

I stuffed the golden coins into Leon's money pouch as the mercant started up the game for the agent. I listened carefully with a smile as I heard the gunfire behind the double doors; sometimes hearing him say "Yes!" or "Gotcha!" as he blasted wooden cutouts of the villagers and tiny cutouts of Salazar's little head. The Shooting Gallery was working its calming wonders on the agent, since his tone was once again light and happy. An hour later, Leon emerged from the shooting range with a smile plastered on his face and a contented sigh.

I smiled, "Someone's happy."

"Hey, blasting cutouts of infected villagers feels good."

"As well as sniping the cutouts of Salazar's head."

"Those too." He grinned as he dropped off the case of borrowed weaponary at the counter for the merchant to take back and collect his prize. The merchant grinned as he handed Leon a little bottle cap of...

Dr. Salvador.

The agent stared at it as I looked it over. It was a perfect, scaled down replica of the chainsaw wielding maniac. It even had bloodstains splattered all over the chainsaw! How cool was that? I pushed the button that sat on the top of the blue base.

Dr. Salvador bottle cap: _(chainsaw revving up) "Grraaah!"_

Leon shuddered involunitary at the sounds the little plastic toy made. I guess he was reliving his first time running into the guy. I mean, how can one forget a time like that? It's scary to know that a chainsaw wielding maniac can chase you around and saw you in half while all you have to defend yourself at the time is a handgun.

"This is gonna give me nightmares." Leon muttered as he packed the little bottle cap away. I only shrugged then thought about the bottle caps we had now and from what were in the game. There were two more bottle caps from the first shooting game. I wondered if I could get those.

I looked up at my hero. "Hey, Leon."

The agent turned to me after reloading his weapons. "Yeah?"

"Can we stay here a bit longer? I want to try the shooting range and win something."

Agent Kennedy thought about and nodded to himself. "Okay, sure. That way you can get better at aiming."

I smiled and gave him a quick hug. "Yay! And while I'm busy blasting away at wooden cutouts, you can take a nice nap!"

Leon half grinned. "That would be nice but I think I've been taking way too many naps." He sighed. "That's not a good thing when you're a government agent."

"Maybe because this mission is tough and this castle is taking a lot out of you. More so than the incident at Raccoon City you experienced six years ago." I said softly, treading carefully about the doomed city. The agent's eyes sadden at the mention of the town; remembering all of the citizens who died and rose again as the living dead, thanks to the careless and greedy hands of the Umbrella Corporation.

I guess he never really did get over that; especially when the US Government solved the incident by nuking the city, reducing the area to a crater. I mean, they didn't bother to check if there were survivors and I believed there were other survivors but we'll just never know, will we? So I changed the subject to help lift the sad mood I accidently brought in. I smiled sheepishly and pretended to be nervous. "I just hope I don't accidenty blast holes in the cardboard mes. That would be embarrassing."

Leon slightly smiled as he pushed the horrid images of Raccoon City from his mind's eye and I could tell he imagined me putting a hole in a cutout Rally. Probably thinking that would be the only headshot I could get from the whole shooting game. His blue eyes brighten and he chuckled to himself as he continued to imagine me hitting every single cardboard Rally with headshots and missing every other target.

"Yeah, that would be embarrassing." he chuckled, grinning away at me.

I frowned playfully as I began to push him out of the Shooting Gallery. "Ha ha, funny. Now go take your nap before you jinx me."

The agent decided to give me a playful hard time by leaning back and putting his weight against me, making it that much harder to push him out the door. "You will hit nothing but the Rally targets... You will hit nothing but the Rally targets...!" Leon whispered jokingly as if casting a spell on me.

"_Leon!_ Sh-shut up!" I wailed playfully, blushing at his playfulness and the fact one of the hottest men in Resident Evil was leaning against me. Seriously, I was on the verge of ripping that shirt off. _Damnit. Curse you, Scorpio sign and Pluto's energies running through me. Damn you, hormones and dirty fangirl thoughts that won't leave me alone!_ "Go take your nap. Who knows how long before we're out of the castle and Salazar's madness."

"You've got a point." the agent said, still leaning against me.

"Good. Now go and rest up."

Leon sighed with a grin. "Okay, okay. I'm going."

The government agent pulled himself up and stood with that boyish grin on his face. I was relieved to see Leon in a happy mood but damnit... Doesn't he realize how close he is to being stripped by his smiles and playful actions?! Gah, I blame Capcom for making him so damn attractive! The agent turned to me and told me good luck on the shooting range before turning to the door and disappearing through it to the merchant's shop.

I sighed as I turned to the merchant, who stood behind the counter with a smile. At least I think he was smiling. Intrigued by his action, I lifted a brow at him. "What are you smiling about?"

"Aye, nothin', nothin'." the merchant answered with his grin still on his face then motioned to the two cases on the counter, "What'll it be, lass?"

I looked between the two and grinned. I was good at _Rapid Fire_, I've been using it for a long while. But my sniping skills were a little iffy, how I managed to not hit Leon at all when I was taking off the restraints was a miracle. One that I wasn't going to risk again, so sharpening those skills is a requirement if I really wanted to help Leon. I tapped at the case the agent had borrowed just a while ago.

"Sniping."

"Ahh, ya gonna work on yer weak point, eh?"

"Yup. May never know when I might get called to cover Leon by doing some sniping."

"Thinkin' ahead, lass? That's a good habit to stick with." the merchant praised wisely as he handed me the case.

I took the case and grinned at the robed figure. "Yeah, it is."

"Course, lass?"

"Course _A_."

The merchant typed out the information on his laptop, making the changes to fit the course I chose. He then told me that the course was ready for me. I smiled as I hefted the small case and headed into the double doors.

* * *

- Merchant's Shop (Two hours later)

"Hey, Leon!" I called as I strode out of the Shooting Gallery with a grin on my face. For two hours, I have trained to improve my sniping skills and man are my arms tired of holding and switching weapons quickly. So not only had I sharpen my gunslinging but I had beaten my old score and gotten a couple of prizes! My grin widen a little. Wouldn't Leon be surprised?

"Guess what?"

Leon cracked open an eye sleepily and focused the bright blue orb in my direction. Caleb flicked his ears and lifted his head to look at me drowsily. The agent sat up and looked at me, still half of asleep but had a half grin on his face. "You shot all the cardboard yous?"

I frowned at him. _Leon, if you weren't half a sleep, I would chuck a bottle cap at you._

My blonde hero rubbed at his eyes as he yawned slightly. I mentally scowled at the action because now I couldn't be mad at him. It was adorable to see him do that, cute enough for me to imagine him as a little chibi. _Damnit, why does everything you do look so damn cute? ...Ah, that's right... I'm a fangirl._ Leon blinked at me as I stood silently in front of him.

"I was kidding, Rally." he said, rotating his shoulders, "So what happened?"

I fought down a blush and quickly pushed aside any fangirl thoughts that would have popped out. I smiled at him as I put my hands into the pockets of my cargo pants. "I beat my old score."

"Nice," Leon grinned, "So what bottle cap did you win?"

I grinned and pulled out one of my hands from my pockets, keeping the little figurine hidden in my hand. It was such a cute little thing. Dirty blonde hair, electric blue eyes and wearing a brown B3 bomber jacket; the figurine also wore a pair of black fingerless grip gloves, blue pants with a leg holster, black shoes, and within it's tiny detailed hand was... a standard government issue handgun. The figurine was none other than...

"Me?" Leon questioned as he stared at the little statue of himself standing normally in the palm of my hand as I showed it to him. I nodded eagerly as Caleb tilted his head to the side in confusion at the little toy then grew bored and went back to sleep. The agent lifted a brow as he looked at the mini-Leon. "Another one of me? We've already got two of me. One holding a shotgun and another holding a rocket launcher of all things."

"Yeah, well, now there's three figurines of you. Besides, this one is wearing a brown jacket and holding a handgun." I said as I smiled down at my little prize.

The agent crossed his arms over his chest and inclined his head, thinking about something as he continued to look at the bottle cap I had won. He frowned slightly. "You know, I have been wondering what had happened to my jacket after I was knocked unconscious when Mendez flipped me into Luis."

"Probably one of the villagers took it."

"Guess so." Agent Kennedy glanced at me, "So what does this thing say?"

I grinned slyly at his question and hit the button on the blue base with my thumb.

Leon with Handgun bottle cap: _"Ada!"_

Leon's eyes flickered to the bottle cap in surprise, shocked at what it said. I smiled slightly at his wide blue gaze as he stared at figurine of himself as it repeated the same word after I pushed the button again. Seeing his reaction to it, my mind decided that a little prank will make it more fun. My other hand in my pocket tighten it's hold on the second bottle cap I won and my sly smile grew.

I hit the button on the Leon bottle cap again.

_"Ada!"_

I hit the second bottle cap button.

_"Leon, now!"_

The message was muffled since it was still in my pocket but Leon was able to hear it anyway and his gaze zeroed in on my pocket. From the looks of his expression, he recognized the voice instantly and his cheeks burned slightly with color. I pulled out the second bottle cap and revealed it to him. Short black hair, dark almond-shaped eyes, wearing a sexy red cocktail party dress with butterflies on it and holding it's slender arm out while gripping a handgun. It was the one and only...

"Ada?" the agent murmured to himself but it was still loud enough for me to hear. I smiled a bit, knowing his feelings toward the Asian woman had not dimmed over the years. A mix of emotions ran through his eyes at the sight of the little figurine and I wanted to see him embarrassed for once.

At least for a few seconds.

I grinned as I held both bottle caps out and hit the buttons, alternating between the Leon bottle cap and the Ada figurine.

_"Ada!"_

_"Leon, now!"_

_"Ada!"_

_"Leon, now!"_

The agent bushed.

_"Ada!" _

_"Leon, now!"_

_"Ada!"_

_"Leon, now!"_

I smiled a little as Agent Kennedy blushed a little harder.

_"Ada!"_

_"Leon, now!"_

_"Ada!"_

_"Leon, now!"_

_"Ada!"_

_"Leon, now!"_

"Okay!" Leon snatched the two bottle caps from my hands and put them into his attache case as his face burned with embarrassment. I snickered a bit while the agent mentally tried to force down the flush of color as Caleb cracked open an eye and glared at us in irritation for interrupting his nap.

"Sorry." I managed between giggles then looked at the agent and cleared my throat, "So, that's her name? Ada?"

The agent looked at me then chose his words carefully, "Yes, but she died six years ago."

I faked looking confused as I dug the figurine out and looked at it. "Are you sure?"

Leon looked a bit relucant, "Well, she's supposed to. But I've done some investigating and found some evidence saying that she's very much alive. But since she hasn't showed her face for six years, I doubt that she would now. Not since she's working for _him._" He murmured the last bit but I heard it anyway.

_Wesker._ I thought as he gazed at little slender figurine. Well, I have to let him know that she's here. "Really? I saw her a few hours ago while I was looking for you."

The agent's eyes widen at the information and looked at me in surprise. "What? Ada's here?"

I held the little plastic bottle cap to him in a way that showed Ada's face. "Yeah. I bumped into her while I was searching for you."

"Did she say why she was here?"

I inclined my head in mock thought. "She only said that she was looking for something; or was it someone? She didn't talk much but she did help me out a couple of times." _That much isn't a lie. Thank you, Ada!_

Leon looked a bit mixed about the news, happy knowing that Ada was indeed alive and well but sad that she's still working for Wesker. But he pushed the thoughts aside for gratefulness that Asian woman had actually helped me during my time alone. And I'm not lying, I am grateful for her help.

"Don't worry, Leon." I said as cheerfully as possible, "I'm sure you'll meet up with her soon."

"Hopefully." the agent mumbled but got up and stretched out his muscles. I bit the inside of my cheek at the action and forced myself to not think fangirl thoughts no matter what. Leon looked at me as he picked up his Blacktail from the table next to him. "Ready to go?"

I nodded and gently woke Caleb up before picking up my Handgun and packing away a box of handgun ammo I found in a cabinet. We said our goodbyes to the merchant for now and headed out. Our spirits were high on being a step closer of leaving the castle but kept ourselves wary of the dangers that we may face to reach our goal.

It was time to go to the Armor Exhibit and get the King's Grail.

* * *

- Corridor of Royalty

"So where to now?" I asked to strike up a conversation as we stepped out into the corridor again. Yes, I know exactly where we're going but I needed to remind my hero about it. It would look suspicious if I just headed down the hall to the room and say the King's Grail was this way without a glance at the map. Besides, I also had to keep up the charade of me knowing _nothing_ about this castle and be as clueless as the agent about the cult.

Leon frowned slightly as he took out the map and scanned it, looking for the area we were in again before marking off the Weapons Exhibit. He looked at the two other possible ways, marking the exit of this section of the castle with a star; which left only one place to search for the second stupid cup.

"The Armor Exhibit." he answered, tapping the the small area that was off to our right (since we just came out of the side room where the merchant was holed up in), "Besides that giant door leading out of here, which we can't open until we get both grails, it's the only area that we can access from this hall."

I glanced at the map in his hands. "Well then, we better hope the King's Grail is there." I said dryly, keeping up the charade. _Well, no duh, the King's Grail is there. Where else is Salazar going to stash that thing? Under his hat?_

Caleb agreed with a whine of exasperation. Clearly, the White German Shepherd was getting sick of the castle. We all were, but it's easier here than at the Island we're all heading to. Agent Kennedy folded the map back up and placed it in his back pocket, which I couldn't help but watch his action. _Hmm, nice... _I caught myself and bit the inside of my cheek at the thought. _Agh! Curse you hormones and dirty fangirl thoughts! _I stuck the tip of my tongue out and rubbed my knuckles hard against my head. _Leave me alone! He's Ada's man! ADA's! Not mine! ...Even though, I wish he was... but he's not!_

"Uh, Rally? Are you okay?" Leon asked quizzically, causing me to snap out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" I looked between the two in confusion. My blonde hero inclined his head with a mix of confusion, curiosity and amusement crossing his features. Even Caleb stared at me, giving me his version of the 'You're-not-going-insane-are-you' look. I frowned at the dog. "I'm fine."

"You're sure?" the agent asked, "You looked like you were trying to burn a hole in your head with your knuckles and bite your tongue off."

I glanced at him suspiciously when I heard the tone of his voice while he was speaking. It held a hint of humor. When I looked at him as I understood why his tone held that light tone. Apparently, he thought what I was doing earlier was funny but from the looks on his face, he wasn't sure if he should laugh or not. His body was slightly shuddering as he tried to keep his laughs to himself as he bit his lower lip to prevent them from coming out.

It was cute to see him like that. A trained secret government agent slash bodyguard is on the verge of giving into a laughing fit.

I grinned. "Nah, I'm fine. I was trying to come up with ways to pay Salazar back for all the fun he's giving us. One of my ideas is giving him an atomic wedgie."

Leon and Caleb stared at me as if I was nuts but I noticed the agent's eyes glance off to the side as he imagined it. His eyes widen as a snicker escaped his mouth then bursted out laughing. My smirk widen before I began laughing along with him as I imagined Leon giving Salazar the wedgie. Caleb watched us both for a few minutes before barking sharply to snap us out of it and get us back on track. We calmed ourselves down then headed down the right hall toward the Armor Exhibit.

As we moved down the corridor, I glanced at the paintings in the small hall we were in and noticed that the last one was familiar. The man in the painting looked like Chief Mendez some decades back before the Los Illuminados had arrived. It was either that or Rasputin, the village chief's very distant cousin of Russia. I wouldn't be surprised if they **were** related; they were both insane.

We reached the table that sat in the middle of a waiting room in front of the door that led to the Armor Exhibit. Leon tucked the _Yellow Herb_ into his attache case and I snatched up a Spinel from the cabinet nearby. The open windows led in a breeze of fresh air from the outside, but it was different. The winds that blew into the room howled mournfully and yet hollowly at the same time, as if sadden by the state the castle and it's inhabitants were in now. _Yeah, I feel bad for this place too._ It was once glorious in it's prime then slowly went to ruin thanks to Saddler tricking Salazar into releasing the La Plaga seal.

Leon picked up the _Sample Retrieved_ file from the table and read it, saddening for a moment at the mention of Luis' death. I looked up at him as he continued to read it then noticed curiousity lit up in his eyes as he read over one sentence. I hid a smirk. _Gee, I wonder what that sentence was?_ The agent read on and snorted at the rest of the file, rolling his eyes and tucking it into his case, not noticing the second attachment of the file fluttering out and landing on the table.

"What's that?" I asked, referring to paper as he closed his attache case.

The agent sighed as he checked his Blacktail. "Just a file talking about how the cult feels about Luis' death and their insane leader getting that stupid 'Sample' back." he muttered irritably, "And how much they want to recapture you and want me dead. You know, the usual insane cult crap."

"Ah, I see." I said dryly then pushed it aside for something new. "Anything else? Anything _unusual_ about that paper?" Yeah, you know where I'm going with this.

Leon nodded, "Yeah, it said something about a 'mysterious woman'. I think it's Ada."

I smiled, "Well, other than me, she's the only other woman here, right? Besides, I'm not exactly a mystery to these guys since I'm the one they want."

"True... but why would Ada want the sample?"

"Don't know. You can ask her if you two meet up."

"Yeah, that's a big _if_."

We dropped the subject for now in favor of getting to the Armor Exhibit. Leon opened the door and we all entered the next area.

* * *

- Armor Exhibit

We stepped into another hall with a certain theme and not with just the killer Armaduras waiting for us further in. This exhibit's theme color is red. A blood red; like nearly everything else in this castle. Plush red carpet lined the center of the hall, which stopped near the marble carving of a sleeping lion. Red drapes adored the large twin red and gold murals on walls on either side of the carpet. The murals displayed the jousting of two knights and their horses running at full speed. I bet it hurts when they smack into each other, regardless of their armor. The candlelight bathed the hall in a soft, warm glow adding feeling to the hall's tone.

And it would feel real homey if it weren't for the fact Salazar had turned the castle into a killer funhouse. _Whoopie- fucking- doo._

Leon instantly didn't like this area as he walked cautiously ahead, eyeing everything as if waiting for something to give itself away as a trap. And I don't blame him. After what happened in the Weapons Exhibit, he decided to take extra care in this area so is to avoid a repeat of the incident. Caleb and I followed as the agent walked up to the sleeping lion statue and picked up the box of handgun ammo from the statue's base. He tucked the ammo box away as he looked down the second hall. This hall was similiar to the first one in theme color and decor but it had a lot more drapes and no murals.

And it's loaded with a total of _eight _empty suits of knight armor... _Mostly_ empty, anyway. Two of them were twitching, though very slightly. They were just itching to chop one of us in half, aren't they? Leon could sort of sense the danger but still couldn't see it as he started forward cautiously. I shuddered involunitarly as I kind of relived my nightmare run in with these killer suits then reach out to Leon, grasped his upper arm and pulled him back.

The agent looked at me in surprise. "What?"

"Wait." I said, "Look at the suits of armor. Do you see anything different with them?"

Confused, Leon looked at the hall and the suits of armor, which were standing still in attention. "I don't see-" he began then noticed the two out of sync with the others. Those two were in attack stance, holding their weapons at the ready, hoping to slice into anyone that walked by. "Ah, those two right? The second one on the right and the last one on the left?"

I nodded as my hero frowned at them. "Yeah, those two."

He glanced at me. "How did you know about these guys?"

"I ran into a group of these suits when I left the mezzanine and was trying to find a way to rejoin you and Caleb."

The agent's eyes widen in surprise. "And you took them on with just a handgun? Are they that weak?"

I shook my head in disagreement. "Oh, hell no. These guys are tough, going up against them with just a handgun is suicide."

"So how did you-?"

"I _**ran**_, Leon. I ran like a bat out of hell away from them. I ran into them in some dark cellar and when I lost my candle I used my handgun to light my way back to some doors I had uh, passed by. Granted I was nearly sliced in half a few times but I got away from them."

Agent Kennedy looked back at the hall. "So, how do we deal with them now?"

"Well, there are two different types of _'Armaduras'_."

"Arma-what?"

"Armaduras, it was what the cultists called them when I was running from them." I lied, "Anyway, there's two types. One type, are the mobile Armaduras, the ones I ran into in the cellar. They're the ones that are hard to kill. Type two, are the stationary ones, the kind that we're seeing here now. These are easy to kill."

"Why?"

"They're easy because you don't really have to do anything but dodge their swing. For some reason, when they miss, they die. Don't ask 'cause I don't know."

"Really? Interesting, yet weird but interesting all the same. So is there a way to kill the mobile ones? You know, just in case?"

I looked at him in a slight bit of awe. _Wow, Leon, just... wow. You're like a psychic, for some reason you know you're going to fight the moving ones. And that's just what you're going to do when you pick up that goddamn King's Grail._ I grinned at him. "There has to, they're like everyone else who has the plagas. Killable. And just like any other plaga, they're exteremly weak to bright, intense light since it kills them on the spot. Only, these plagas have armor, which ward off any sudden brusts of light."

"How do you know?" Leon asked as he studied the Armaduras from his spot next to me.

"I tried tossing a flash grenade at them before and it didn't kill them." I answered honestly yet lying at the same time. I did try doing that in the game the first time through and it didn't work. But I never did it while I was running from them earlier by myself since it would just be a waste of flash grenades.

"Any suggetions then?"

"Uh, I guess if you knock their helmets off with a shotgun blast, you can kill them with a toss of flash grenade. With the helmet off, the plaga within the armor will be exposed to the light."

Leon nodded as he took in the information and stored it in his head for later. He glanced at me and ordered me and Caleb to stay near the lion statue as he walked forward. I nodded and reminded him of what to do with the stationary Armaduras and for him to watch their movements before acting.

Caleb and I watched intently as the agent moved down the hall as he kept an eye on the second one on the right side of the red carpet. As soon as he stepped within the enemy's attack range, the Armadura suddenly reared back and swung it's large axe downward at the blonde agent. Leon dodged it with a graceful backflip, missing the axe's sharp edge by a couple of millimeters. The axe slammed into the floor and the Armadura froze for a few seconds before crumbling into a pile of pieces; the plaga within it, dead.

The agent hissed as he hopped backwards twice from his landing, his backflip sending him to stand next to me again and I grew worried that he was hurt. "Are you okay, Leon?" I asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I didn't get hit. It was just...close. Real close." Leon sighed, "You gave me the information and I was ready for it but it was still... Well, it was still pretty fast."

I let out a sigh of relief to know he was okay. "Yeah, I know that feeling. You still have one more to go."

"Right, one more to go." Leon agreed as he made his way down the hall again. I grinned as I watched him go, unable to help myself. _That backflip was totally awesome and sexy! _Okay, I know I'm not supposed to let fangirl thoughts get in the way but...come on! That backflip ruled! Oh, the lovely arch of his body as he bent it backwards to dodge that axe! The way his muscles swelled and flexed as he moved fluidily, perfectly... Leon's backflip was so hot, girls would melt at the very presence of it! Or make them swoon, sigh, then faint as they hear wedding bells ringing in their heads. Me? I just wanted to freeze frame that backflip, print it out and stare at it all day.

"Huh!"

I snapped my attention back to the present and watched as Leon hopped back twice again from his backflip, indicating that he dodged the other Armadura's swing. I mentally frowned as the armor collapsed into pieces after it's sword struck the ground. _Damn. I missed Leon's other backflip._

"Follow me." he said and Caleb and I joined him at the other lion statue. Only this statue was not a peaceful sleeping lion, it was a carving of an alert and evil looking lion. An evil lion that seemed to be staring directly at us. Creepy. Leon, on the other hand, ignored the marble statue and looked into the round room where the hall ends.

* * *

- Chamber of Wrath

We entered the chamber and gazed around in awe. It was large and grand, perfect for a king. Statues of two jousting knights that were eerily identical to the red and gold murals in the first hall stood near the door. Swords, axes and shields lined the walls in groups; carvings of warriors were set into the walls above each group of shields and weapons.

Three strange walls were also there; and topping it off was grand high ceiling with a greenish glass dome. At which allowed greenish light to stream through, lighting up the center piece of the entire room. A small dais stood at the very center of the chamber and within that dais was our prize and the key to get out of this sector of the castle...

The King's Grail.

"Well, there it is Leon." I said, motioning to the golden goblet in the dais. Leon looked at it and frowned, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"And that's what bothers me." he muttered, walking toward it, "The Queen's Grail had some defense around it. The falling, spiked ceiling and the two psycho Illuminados who got their driver's liscense from a Cracker Jack box."

"Yeah, so?" I shuddered at the memory of the Weapons Exhibit.

The agent eyed the dais critically, "Where's the defense for the King's Grail? Those two swinging Armaduras can't possibly be the only security this thing has."

_Normally, I agree with you if we were discussing the game. But right now, I wished that was all the security it had._ I thought bitterly but shook it away. "Look, regardless of what the security is, Leon, we need that thing to leave." I said, suddenly getting a very bad vibe from the room. "Just pick it up and we'll deal with whatever trap comes up then we get the fuck out of here."

He looked at the inscription etched into the surface of the dais. Which no doubt says, _May wrath of evil befall the one who disturbs this holy grail._ The agent narrowed his blue eyes at the warning as he nodded to my words. "I agree. Listen, I want you and Caleb to leave the chamber when I pick this up, okay?" Leon said, not looking away from the dais.

I nodded, "Right, we'll leave the second before you grab it."

The agent nodded as he reached into the dais to get the golden cup. Caleb and I stood near the doorway and readied ourselves to leave, watching Leon's movements, despite the fact I knew he was right. As soon as he picks that damn thing up, the real security will rotate in and try to slice him half. And I can't really help him fight those off with two handguns. Lord knows you're asking for a death wish if you go up against a group of Armaduras with a pair of little guns.

Leon's fingertips brushed the rim of the grail-

_Shh-ink!_

-and the bars slammed to the floor, blocking the only way out of the chamber. It was so sudden and unexpected, that I screamed in fright, jumping at the sound. Leon jerked his hand back from the grail without taking it as we whirled around and stared at the sealed exit in shock. _That wasn't supposed to happen! The trap's not supposed to activate until __**after**__ Leon picks the stupid cup up! Not touch it!!_

Agent Kennedy growled angrily as the three strange, blank walls began to rotate. He backed away from one as the three walls revealed three Armaduras. "I knew it!" he growled as the silver knights lifted their heavy melee weapons and lurched forward. One of them turned and started for me, holding it's axe tightly as the other knights went after Leon, brandishing their swords.

_Oh, man...!_ The knight swung and I ducked under the swing, avoiding getting my head sliced off. Agent Kennedy fired the Riot Gun at the Armaduras attacking him, only to see them shrug it off easily. He growled and fired again, pushing them back as I dodged the swings my Armadura was making.

"Shit... There's not enough room here!" Leon growled as he leaped back from a downward slice of one knight's sword and fired on it, hitting it's helmet. It staggered back from the force of the blow but still showed no sign of being damaged. "Aw, hell."

I dodged another attack and ran around behind it as Caleb scrabbled his claws at the knight's leg. Unforutanetly, the Armadura didn't feel a thing and calmly ignored the white dog as it turned to look for me. The agent glanced at me after he fired another buckshot at the other knight attacking him, forcing it back. His eyes widen upon seeing my trouble and remembered that I all I had to defend myself was a few grenades which aren't best used right now, the Handgun and the Punisher.

"Rally! Duck!"

I looked at him in confusion then surprise as I saw him aiming the Riot Gun in my direction. _Holy crap!_ I ducked and Leon fired, hitting the knight's faceplate. It stumbled back and I looked up, seeing the knights attack the agent again. One knight swung vertically at him and he dodged. The other swiped at him horizontally and my hero stepped back. Only this time, the knight reversed the attack and whacked Leon in the chest with the broadside of the sword.

He gasped and coughed as the wind was knocked out of him, falling backwards in pain. The first knight raised it's sword once more as the agent continued to cough. _Oh, shit!!_ I looked around for something to use to help my hero and smiled as an idea dawned on me.

_The shields!_

I raced to one, avoiding my pursurer and gripping a shield on one wall. I yanked it off the stone and grunted a bit since it felt heavy. I turned and rammed the shield against my knight, shoving it back. It reared back in surprise, caught off balance. I ignored it and ran toward Leon.

"Leon! Catch!" I yelled, throwing the shield over the two Armaduras.

The agent barely caught it and kept it up, bracing his arms for the sword swing. The silver knight swung downwards and the blade bounced off the shield, Leon grunting a little from the impact. The Armadura staggered and my hero rolled to the side to avoid the other knight's swing. He leaped to his feet, brought up the shield and rammed the knight that still suffered from the block. It staggered back again and Leon swung the shield sideways, aiming high and knocked the helmet off.

The Armadura knelt in pain and tried to recover as the plaga revealed itself and shrieked angrily. The agent took care of it with another whack, hitting the parasite. It's tentacles were smashed to the rim of the armor from the hit, it shrilled in pain and pulled its limbs into the suit, deciding to leave us alone for now.

In the mean time, I had grabbed a sword from a wall and jammed the blade into the shoulder joint of the Armadura attacking me while it was preparing to attack. Caleb barked angrily at the one still pursuing Leon, who whirled around dodged the horizontal swing and rammed it back. Only this time, the knight was smart enough to bring up it's sword, blocked Leon's ram and pushed back.

The two were locked in a battle of strength as they pushed against their weapons. Err, shields I guess. The Armadura that had come after me tried to attack while its axe arm was still jammed with the sword. I guess the plaga inside was ignoring the fact the arm was jammed and forced itself to swing. And that's when I smirked, stiffling a laugh so's not to distract Leon. But I'll always remember this as one of the funniest things I've seen.

When the knight forced its arm to move, the sword bent a little, straining the joint which caused the axe arm to pop off. It was amazingly funny to see a one armed Armadura, despite the fact it was the same one trying to slice into me. Unfortunately, these guys always swing with both arms, so as funny as it was to see a dangling arm still gripping the axe, the Armadura was still deadly. The knight swung it's axe at me and I ducked, quickly crawling between it's feet to get at the forgotten Riot Gun. Caleb saw what I doing and ran to the shotgun, snagged it in his mouth and brought it to me.

I smiled at the White German Shepherd and cooed him a thank you for a second before whipping around and fired the Riot Gun. The buckshot knocked the one armed Armadura's helmet right off, exposing the plaga hidden within. The parasite flailed it's axe and disbodied armored arm in frustration before letting the razor sharp weapon fly from its grip in hopes of hitting something.

It did.

The axe slammed into the other silver knight, causing it to stagger. Leon seized his chance by aiming high and smacking the helmet off with the shield. The plaga popped out, shrilling furiously at the fact that it was exposed and lashed at the agent with it's bony blade. He blocked it with the shield and moved it forward with a quick jab. The shield smacked into the plaga's whipping tentacle and redirected the attack back at the parasite. The little slimy creature shrieked in pain as the bony blade pierced it's eye. It flailed wildly as the first parasite decided to join the fray once more, whipping it's tentacle around excitedly.

I quickly pulled out a Flash grenade. "Flash!!" I warned loudly and I saw Leon throw up his shield, facing it to me as Caleb scammpered over to a corner and curl into a ball. I threw down the flash bomb and the chamber was fill with intense light as well as the intensly loud death screams of the plagas as the light burned them.

After a few seconds, the light died away and the suits of armor collapsed into a heap of broken bits and revealing little treasures that they each held. I grinned as I snagged up a box of shotgun ammo and reloaded the Riot Gun with them, dropping the rest into my pouch. Leon snatched up a green herb and placed it into his case as I returned the shotgun to him. Caleb wagged his tail happily over the box of TMP ammo he had in his mouth.

Leon grinned as he held the weapon. "Well, I hope that's all th-"

The walls rotated once more, revealing the black knights standing guard, who raised their melee weapons. The agent swore under his breath when they lurched forward to attack. _I know how you feel Leon, believe me... I do. I hate this room as much as you do._ Caleb snarled and barked savagely in hopes of distracting them, but these guys weren't as stupid as El Gigante. They ignored the dog and came after us, only sticking close as a group. I sighed in frustration as I handed Leon a flash grenade as I armed myself with a hand grenade.

"To hell with this. We don't have time or the patience for you." I hissed as I placed a hand on a red grenade on one of my belt loops. I remembered the quick way of killing these guys off without causing harm to Leon in the game. Throw two grenades, either red or green, at the Armaduras then a flash grenade and _vol__ía!_ instant cooked Plagas! _Wait... why didn't I do this when I was running from them in the Servants' Quarters? Oh, yeah, I was hiding from Wesker. Explosions would have brought him that much faster to my position that time._

The agent looked confused about my silent plan but said nothing as I threw my grenade into the cluster of suits. The resulting explosion shook the whole room as well as making the dark knights kneel in pain. I quickly snatched up an Incendiary grenade and hurled it at them too as they rose from their kneel. Fire erupted around them and flames licked at the armor as they knelt again, which made them appear as if they warped into the chamber in hell's fire. The Armaduras rose again but this time the plagas had knocked their helmets off themselves. They popped out, shrieking in anger and snapping their giant maws at us.

"Shriek this." Leon growled, throwing down the flash grenade in front of them to put an end to the short fight with them. The agent brought up the shield again, ushering me behind it as well just before the light erupted within the room. We cringed at the hight pitch death screams of the parasites as they shriveled up and burned away. The sounds of collapsing armor indicated that the room was clear and safe to get the cup and leave.

"Thank God." I muttered as Agent Kennedy dropped the shield in favor of freeing his hands. I walked over to the dais and snatched the King's Grail from it. "Stupid important key cup. If you weren't the only way out of here, I would sooo melt you down and turn you into a bedpan!"

Leon grinned slightly, plucked the grail from my grip and dropped it into his attache case. "I couldn't agree with you more and I would love to join you in your rant but I believe it's best to leave now."

I frowned for a second then smiled, remembering the fact that we're once step closer on leaving the castle. We grabbed up the pestas that black knights dropped and picked up any items we ignored in the chamber before leaving. We barely got out of the chamber and moved down two feet of the red carpet before we noticed something was wrong.

Deadly wrong.

Leon growled angrily as he glared down the hall as my eyes widen in shock. Caleb whimpered and drooped his ears in dismay that things were not in our favor. _What the fuck?! This wasn't suppose to happen!_

"Why am I not surprised?" the agent gripped, narrowing his electric blue eyes at our new obstacle. I couldn't look away but regarded Leon's comment. _Not surprised? Hell, I'm fucking freaking out about it! This isn't supposed to happen at all! Then again, I really shouldn't be shocked. After all, since when did this adventure ever played fair or by the rules of the game? But I was hoping this room followed the rules... but it's not. This sucks._

In front of us, blocking our way, stood the last six suits of armor that didn't attack us in the hall. They were lined up three by three in attack stance and when we didn't proceed, they decided to move instead. They came forward menacingly, which pretty much told us that we weren't leaving this room without another fight. Or alive if we screwed up. I quickly threw another Incendiary into their group and they knelt down in pain. I grabbed another as they rose and moved forward in their deadly steady march. I threw it and flames from it caused them to kneel again.

Leon held his hand out to me and I knew he was asking for a flash grenade. And I reached for one-

-then paled when I didn't feel one.

"Oh, shit..." I muttered as I looked at my belt loops in slight panic. "We have a problem."

"You don't have any more?"

"No. I thought I had more but I don't."

"So.. the ones you did use..?"

"Were my last ones..."

"Well, shit..."

"My thoughts exactly, Leon." I said as the knights rose and charged forward, no longer wearing helmets and no longer patient. We freaked and ran into the chamber in hopes of getting some room. We raced to the other side of the room as the knights poured into the doorway and remembered what I did when I was facing them alone in the cellar. I glanced at the agent. "Leon, I got an idea."

"Well, I don't have any right now. So what's your idea, Rally?" Leon asked as mentally searched for a way to defeat the Armaduras without wasting so much ammo.

"Well, we can use the dais as a block, circle it and run around them to get a clear shot at the exit. I used this trick to escape the cellar."

The agent smiled. "It's better than nothing, I like it!"

I smiled back then let it drop as horror over took me. Did these guys just understood what I planned?! The six knights divided their group and each trio took up one side of the dais, leaving no room to run around them. The plagas snarled and snapped their jaws as they closed in, Leon reached for his shotgun then realized there was no point. Shooting one will only leave him open to get attacked by the other five. Even with my and Caleb's help, it still left us open to the other three. We really were screwed...

(A/N: We switch over for just a bit...)

* * *

A figure looked around the corner and narrowed its eyes at the situation. Then rolled them heavenward in irritation at the fact that these two couldn't save themselves even if life had given them the proper weapons and told them what to do. They were going to screw everything up but for things to come out as planned they needed a bit more time. And they were needed alive for just a bit longer, or else all this was for nothing. The figure was irritated by this fact but wasn't going to argue with it.

_Just save them then go. That's all. It's for my mission anyways. Save them once then get the hell out of here before I'm seen again. _

Right. For the mission, nothing more. The figure plucked out a flash grenade from its case, held down the trigger while pulling out the pin. Applied the right amount of pressure to delay the explosion for a few more seconds before flicking the grenade into the chamber, letting it roll the rest of the way. Then the figure turned and hurried down the hall, thankful for the plush carpet silencing its steps as it made its way to the door.

(A/N: And we switch back...)

* * *

_We're screwed... we're screwed... we're screwed... we're- huh?_

I blinked in confusion as something rolled behind a knight. What was that? Leon pushed me gently behind him as the plagas reared their ugly head back. He had told me that once they attack him that I should duck, crawl under them and run for the door. I refused outright but he made me promise that I would do that anyway. I didn't... I _really_ didn't want Leon sacrificing himself to save me. Watching from behind the agent, I realized at that I may not have much of a choice in the matter as the Armaduras' jaws shot toward to Leon.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tighten my grip on the agent's shirt, waiting to hear his screams of pain before I had to move. Instead of screaming, I heard heard a soft explosion before finally hearing the shrieks. But they weren't the screams of a certain hero in pain and agony, on the verge of death... they were the shrieks of a certain type of parasite that were dying. The loud sounds of metal pieces hitting marble made me open my eyes and stared in shock at the all the armor pieces scattered all over the floor.

I glanced up at Leon and saw that he had his eyes closed, his body tense in preparation on receiving pain but not one scratch was on him. What the fuck?

"Leon?" I said softly and the agent cracked open one eye, blinked then opened his other eye, clearly confused. He glanced at me.

"Rally, did you-?" he asked and I shook my head, just as confused as he was.

"No, did you?"

"Can't be. I don't carry grenades."

"Well, it couldn't be me. I ran out of flash grenades."

"Caleb?"

We glanced over to the dog in question and saw that it couldn't be him for obvious reasons. One, he didn't have grenades. Two, he couldn't set one off unless he bit into it and I doubt that he wants something blowing up in his mouth. And three, he was laying on the floor with his paws over his eyes, clearly shaking in his fur.

Leon and I looked around the chamber in search of something that could give us answers but didn't find anything other than broken armor pieces, more pestas and some ammo. I picked up another hand grenade that one Armadura had dropped for me and looked qizzically at Leon.

"What do you suppose happened?" I asked as I hooked the green little bomb to my belt loop. The agent shook his head and shrugged his shoulders as he put the ammo into his case and reloaded all the weapons that needed reloading. Caleb whimpered and Leon seemed to agree with him.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Agent Kennedy said, standing up and sighing. "I'd like to say it's a blessing in disguise yet it's seems a little fishy to me. But it's best not to question it until we leave."

"Good idea." I agreed and we quickly left the Armor Exhibit before anything else went wrong. As we bolted through the door, I realized that we were going to be forced apart yet again.

The Ballroom and Novistadors were waiting for us...

_Leon..._

* * *

FINALLY!! I finally finished this chapter! I am SO sorry for the long ass delay! but finals for college quarter are up and I've been studying... as well trying to make this chappy as exciting as as possible! I'd like to thank you all for being paitent about this chappy as well as this fic! And I like to thank Sabertooth and Wolf, Zalger248, and Bluecupcakes (f.k.a AdaLeon) for helping me make the King's Grail trap so exciting! Hugs and kisses for you three!

I'm sad to say that I may have to stay with College Math 2 for another quarter so updates maybe slow then. Pray that I don't get it again. Curse you math! You hate me and you know it!

Okay, guys, you know the drill. Read and Review please. Comments and positive criticism are welcome. And ideas for future chappies, suggestions are also welcome.

If I had finished this chappy sooner, I would have told you all that RE4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True had reached 5,000 hits! That's right 5,000 hits! Well, right now, its _**over**_ 5,000 hits! WHOO! Break out the sodas and streamers! It's party time! Wesker! I said "break out the sodas" not "break out the T-Virus vials!" Oh, well, at least it'll be fun shooting zombies right? A zombie fighting party! Cool.

Well, it's for me to plan out the next chapter, wish me luck!

Chat with all of ya later!

(Seriously, **please** put in a review. So far 104 readers read it and only 7 reviewed. Please put one in! Reviews are my reason to keep this going. Reviews tell me I'm doing a good job. Reviews tell me that people want this fic to keep going.)


	25. Things You Shouldn't Piss Off

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil....and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists!

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** I am SO sorry for taking so damn long with these updates! You see... the deadly creative slumps and writer's block are acting up again! It's been hard focusing on this fic, probably because I'm burning out my brain with ideas and plot twists. So again, I apologize for taking long! I hope you enjoy this chappy and future ones! Thank you! (Plus now that I've got projects to finish on my freetime to pass these classes, I don't have as much freetime as I used to. And I've been sick lately. But I'm better now! YAY!)

**Final Note:** 141 reviews! Wow, that's a lot for just a fic with 24 chappies. (blush) I didn't know that I'm becoming an idol to some of you. (smile) Thank you, you guys are my idols for being there to read my fic. I would love to thank all of you for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

Everyone gets a Rally bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Combat Rally w/ Wesker's Shades) _"Wesker! Kiss, kiss!"_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER!!!! WESKER TOO!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you! May you two continue to bless this fic as I add flavors from both you and me! I shall promise to keep the originallity going! And may you help me along the way, if I stray from this promise. Thank you, truly.

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Twenty-Four: Things You Shouldn't Piss Off

- Corridor of Royalty

We scurried into the corridor, not wanting to take a chance of more Armaduras showing up in the room if we stayed there any longer. Leon quickly locked the door, just in case, as I leaned against the wood, sighing in relief that the armored attack ordeal was over. I glanced ahead of us and noticed that a piece of paper was sitting on the surface of the table. Curious, I pushed away from the door and picked up the paper, seeing that it wasn't a note but a photo. A photo of Luis Sera which was supposed to have been attached to the _Sample Retrieved_ file. I gazed at the picture sadly.

_Luis. If only you had survived... Not only would you be a big help to Leon on taking this cult down, but you would have been a good friend to us._

"Rally? You okay?" Leon asked before looking over my shoulder and seeing the photo, "Ah..."

"I..." I mumbled, staring at the deceased Spaniard's face. Caleb nuzzled my leg and whimpered, sensing my mood and wanting to cheer me up. I could tell Leon was sad as well and was trying to find something to say. I shook my head and forced a small smile. "I'm okay, just sad that we couldn't prevent Luis from dying."

The agent took a deep breath and let it out slowly, sighing sadly. "I know. I wish that I could have done something to prevent his death but what's done is done. We couldn't do anything then to help him. All we can do now is honor his last wish and prevent this from happening again by taking out Saddler."

I nodded as I tucked Luis' photo into my attache case to keep. "Yeah."

Leon placed a hand on my shoulder, "Come on, we shouldn't linger around here any longer than neccessary."

I brought out my Handgun and nodded faintly again, "Yeah, we do need to keep moving."

We quickly left the little waiting room, passed by the Merchant's shop and headed north toward the only exit out of this portion of the castle. I picked up a flash grenade that sat on one of the chairs as we neared the hall that led to the giant set of doors. The low moans of the winds that blew into the Salazar Family Art Gallery were much louder, thanks to the large open windows that are no doubt ahead of us.

I grinned to myself as we walked cautiously around a corner. _If only Salazar was there so I could shove his tiny ass out of the windows. If he's lucky, the winds can make him fly for a bit before he falls. It's off to Neverland for you, Sal!_ As we rounded the corner, the most annoying phrase I have come to hate in this adventure rang out loudly.

"_Ahí están!_"

My eye twitched at the words as Leon sighed and Caleb growled.

"For the love of...." I growled, "Can't they say something _different_ for once?!"

"Apparently not." the agent replied dryly as he raised his Blacktail toward the group of six monks as they charged at us. I sighed as I raised the Handgun as well, taking aim at one of the monks. Four scythe wielding crazies and two shielders. Yay. As they got within range of our guns, Leon capped two scythes wielders with headshots before they so much as giggled. I, on the other hand, took a bit longer at shooting my targets.

I have to admit, it's pretty hard to do kneeshots, when you really can't see the knees because of their robes. So yeah, I kinda wasted half a clip trying to hit the kneecaps before I finally was able to shoot them out. Then wasted the other half killing them as they toppled over in pain from the bullets in their legs. These shielders were a lot slower than they were in the game since I actually had time to eject the spent clip and search my pockets for a fresh one then slapped it into the gun. And Leon took care of them with the Semi-Auto, one shot to the heart and a shot to the head.

The shots were simply amazing. I glanced at him as he put away the rifle and blushed a bit. I don't care what people say, he **rules** at making top notch shots. Okay, yes I know Wesker outclasses him in this to a degree... but come on! It's Leon, who has untapped potential! And he still rules! Girls can fall for this agent a thousand times over and still not get tired of it. I know I'm not. I seriously wish I could shoot like him, it would make this adventure a lot easier. But then it wouldn't be an adventure, now would it?

Caleb barked and trotted back to Leon after retrieving something from mound of bodies before they melted into the carpet. That still disgusts me no matter how many times I see it happen. Agent Kennedy took the box of ammo from the dog's mouth and opened it. I leaned next him to see the contents of the box and smiled.

"Hey, that's cute." I said, smirking as the agent closed the ammo box and put it in his attache case.

He raised a brow. "That I got a 'shoot-two-get-three-bullets-free?'"

"Yeah. You get your two rifle shots back plus an extra one for a treat."

"What I like to get from this 'shoot-something-to-get-something-free' deal... is a way to get these parasites out of our bodies."

I nodded in understanding. "I agree. That would really be nice but hey, that's not happening anytime soon." _Seriously, Leon, it's not._

"That reminds me..." Leon reached into his pant pocket and pulled out the jar of pills Luis had given him upon his death. "We need to take these to suppress their growth and give us more time to find a way to get rid of them for good."

He opened the jar and shook it a little until two pills rolled onto his palm. He gave one to me and popped his into his mouth, swallowing it. I did the same and he repeated the process again while I blinked in confusion.

"Why twice?" I asked as he handed me my second pill.

"We didn't get the chance to take them eariler because I forgot about these. And just incase." he replied before swallowing his second pill. I thought about it then nodded in understanding, seeing the logic in it. Hey, I forgot about them too. Then I popped mine into my mouth to swallow.

I glanced at the statued of women that lined the wall of the large hall. _Oh, yeah! The Spinels and Purple Gem are still here!_ The agent noticed my gazed and followed it, seeing the sparkling things on the statues. We stared at the little treasures, looked at each other and grinned mischievously.

* * *

- Corridor of Royalty / Ballroom Doorway

We stood in front of the large locked doors with three more Spinels and a completed Elegant Mask in the agent's case. Before us was not only the doors but the puzzle we need to complete to unlock them and let us go on further. And we got keys to solve it. The agent opened his case and brought out the two goblets we retrieved, setting them on the floor before putting his case away. He picked them up and looked at me.

"Which one you want?" he asked, holding the two out in front of me.

I looked at the two and grinned, taking the one I want from the agent. "I'll take the Queen's. Is that alright with you, King Leon?" I teased, holding the golden cup as if in a toast.

Leon grinned and clicked the rim of the King's Grail to mine in a toast. "That's fine with me, Princess Rally."

I looked at him in mock offense. "_'Princess'_ Rally? I'm holding the Queen's Grail, you should be calling me Queen."

The blonde smirked teasingly, which made me blush slightly. "I'm pretty sure that in this castle, a woman can't be a Queen unless she marries a King first. Or a crowned Prince. Which ever comes first, I guess."

"Oh." I said, my cheeks reddening further from the information. _Please don't give me ideas..._ A sudden image of Leon in a cute tuxedo, standing proud at some altar while loud but beautiful chruch bells tolled. And someone in a long white dress walking down the aisle.... _Isn't me, isn't me, isn't me! Damnit! Damn these fangirl thoughts! The thoughts of tackling Leon and ripping his clothes off were bad enough... but __marriage__!? No! Nonononono! He's not mine, he's Ada's! Ada is the one who's gonna marry him! Not me! _

"Kinda sucks." I said calmly, referring to the agent's statement; despite the fact I'm running around in my mind and smacking my own naughty thoughts down with a bat.

Leon nodded, "Back then, yeah. But now, women are taking over the world."

I grinned, "Ooh, yeah..."

"Anyway, let's solve this puzzle, unlock the doors and get the hell out of here."

"Amen to that."

We approached our respective busts before the blonde agent called out to me to get my gun ready. You know, 'just incase.' I wouldn't blame him for being this cautious, things intend to go wrong when we trying to we're always doing. Caleb watched out backs again, looking down the hall to make sure no zealot tried to sneak up on us. He's such a good dog, very smart, loyal and lovable. Who wouldn't want him?

Anyway, we kept our sidearms in one hand and the keys in the other. Leon had decided that we should set the goblets down at the same time and say what the inscription says, just incase it was one of those puzzles you see in movies. Well, since the mansion was based off spy movies and incident at Raccoon was coming from a hybrid of horror/spy, I see the logic of his thought. We looked at each and nodded before turning back to the busts and raising the goblets.

Okay, here we go!

3...

2...

1...

"_A toast to our Royal Majesty._" we both intoned and set the grails down simultaneously. There was a loud _click!_ and few seconds later the lattice, that had barred the doors, rose and disappeared into the doorframe. We smiled at the fact we solved the puzzle and unlocked the door, then turned around and half expected to see about a dozen Illuminados behind us. Surprisingly, we saw nothing but Caleb wagging his tail in joy. I don't blame him, I'm happy that we're finally moving on.

"Glad to see there's no party crashers." Leon said as we gathered at the doors.

I grinned, "Yeah, and let's keep it that way. On we go!"

The agent smiled as he held up his Blacktail ready, as I did the same. We pushed open the doors and stepped through. I sighed inwardly in dread, knowing that we were going to be separated once again.

* * *

- Ballroom Entry Hall

We entered a fairly short hallway that had obviously seen better days.

"What the hell happened here?" Leon wondered aloud as he gazed around the hall. I looked around as well and frowned at the mess. _Something that didn't happen in the game._ Other than the broken windows that are supposed to be here, the entire hall was a complete disaster. The cabinets were smashed open, the chairs were splintered from being flung around and one of them was stuck to a wall, broken of course. The vases were nothing more than bits of pottery on the floor that glistened in the sunlight due to the tiny shards of shattered glass catching the light.

The very state of the hall unnerved me. What could have done this much damage?

"I don't like this." the agent muttered as he stepped forward carefully, the already broken glass crunching beneath his boots. I followed him, picking up items and sweeping aside the shards with my feet to make a path for Caleb.

"I agree with you on that a hundred percent, Leon." I answered as I moved aside a piece of wood to find a small chest of pesetas. I crammed them into Leon's money pouch and stood, ready to look for more, just as I glanced at the walls. My eyes widen in surprise. "Leon," I called as I examined it, "Look at this."

The agent looked up from his finding of pesetas and headed over to me. I touched the wall carefully and looked at Leon. "Something _big_ came through here."

Agent Kennedy looked at me then at the walls and his blue gazed widen in shock. Claw marks decorated the walls in crisscross patterns, carving straight through the stone. I recognize the marks as those of the Novistadors... but these were far longer and bigger than the monstrous bugs. Exactly _what_ went through here? I looked at the destruction of the entry hall and decided to not find out. _Whatever it was... it had been pissed._

The agent narrowed his eyes slightly and seemed to shift uncomfortably about the area. I don't blame him, this is freaking me out too. He continued to look at the claw marks for a few moments, opened his mouth to say something then closed it, deciding it was best to not say anything about it. I'm only guessing that he didn't want to jinx us. Again, I don't blame him. Say anything bad while in the world of _Resident Evil_ and you're bound to make things a lot worse for yourself.

"Come on, let's keep moving." Leon turned away from the claw marks and headed further down the hall. I followed him as well as Caleb. As we got closer to the wooden double doors, I saw the balcony and the ladder that led to a Butterfly Lamp. The agent picked up a box of shotgun shells and packed them away and was about to open the doors when I stopped him. Agent Kennedy looked at me in confusion and I grinned a bit.

"Before we head into the next room, how about we check the balcony?" I suggested, gesturing to the broken windows that allowed more fresh air to blow into the hall. He glanced outside, saw the railing for the balcony and smiled back at me.

"I think it'll be wise choice. Thanks, Rally." he said, which caused me to blush a bit.

"Think nothing of it." I replied and hopped over the window sill, Leon following suit. I picked up a Red Herb and handed it to the agent, who immediately tore it up and sprinkled it into a vial of Green and Yellow Herbs, making another Mixed Herbs. Caleb placed his front paws on the sill and whimpered. We turned and looked at him as he lowered his ears in sadness still whimpering. Leon smiled and gave our faithful companion a good scratch behind the ears, at which Caleb panted, enjoying the affection.

"I know you want to follow, Caleb, but seeing that it's ladder, you can't climb it." he said, which the dog whimpered again, "I think it's best if you stay here. You know, watch our backs."

The White German Shepherd brightened and panted, giving a small yip in happiness. I stroked the dog's head too. "Yeah. Besides, we're just going up the ladder, see what's there and come right back, okay?"

Caleb yipped again and seemingly smiled. Leon and I smiled in return before turning and climbing up the ladder. We quickly scaled the ladder and followed the long, narrow and rail less path that circled the outer wall of the Ballroom. As we cautiously walked the path, I noticed that Leon stuck close to the wall and was slightly tense. _Is he afraid of heights?_ The agent glanced out toward the open air of the castle's estate and his eyes narrowed slightly, looking over the area. _No, if he was then he would have flipped out on me at the gandola. Probably looking out for any surprise aerial attacks. _I smiled slightly in memory. _Ah, the Crows. Those attacked him at Raccoon City too. _

We continued our walk and came upon the chest that I was hoping for. Agent Kennedy raised a brow at it in confusion then shrugged. I'm only guessing that he found it weird but not as oddly bizarre as the stupid Chess Plugs he had to search for to open the door in the sewers under the Police Station. _I should know, I cheat when it comes to that puzzle lock. I could never find the last piece to it. Though, I can't remember if it was the Knight piece or the Bishop piece that was the bitch I couldn't find. Or was it the Rook? _

The agent jogged forward, not noticing the large open window on the left, as he headed straight for the chest. He inspected it, making sure there was no trap rigged to the chest, before holstering his weapon. He opened the chest, looked into it, reached in and pulled out the item tucked inside. He held up the item and stared at it in confusion.

"A lamp?" he questioned, studying the nicely decorated piece.

I smiled. "It's not just any lamp, Leon." I answered, "It's a _Butterfly Lamp_!"

"A _what_ lamp?"

"A Butterfly Lamp. Look at the decorations on it. They're butterfly designs! All you need is-" I reached into my pocket and pulled out the Blue Eye I had gotten in the sewers a while back. "-the right gems-" I popped the Blue Eye into a slot on the lamp. "-to finish it."

The agent blinked as he looked at the first completed butterfly and smiled. "Ah, just the Beerstein, huh?"

I nodded, "Yup."

"That's good. Got anymore of those gems to finish it?" he asked as we began to walk back to the ladder. I shook my head in answer as we were about to walk in front of the window. "Oh." He looked a little disappointed but shook it off for another question as we stepped within sight of the window. I looked into the Ballroom. "Where do you get the gems from?"

I didn't answer, opting to look through the window and staring at Novistador hive. The agent looked concerned then followed my "shocked" gaze toward the window. He stared in shock.

"What the _hell_ is that?" Leon yelped, gazing at the greenish thing that hung from the ceiling of the Ballroom in confused horror. The hive pulsed a sickening slow rhythm, yellowish clear slime dribbled from it and hit the floor below with a loud _smack!_ He continued to watch the hive in horrific fascination then shuddered involuntarily as another dribble of slime hit the floor.

"No clue." I lied, watching another trail of slime hang from the fleshy stalagmite. It moved slightly up and down, as if it didn't know which direction to go before gravity decided for it and pulled it down.

_Smack!_

I shuddered as well from the sight and sound. _Uu-gh..._

Another large glob of the stuff quickly slid down to the tip of the hive and dropped. Leon uttered a low groan of disgust as it splattered. I blushed from the sound he made and quickly shook it off. _No fangirl thoughts. Ada's... Ada's... Ada's... He's Ada's..._

"Oh, man... that's sick." the agent moaned and shuddered. And I made the mistake of glancing at him, accidently watching his body quiver in repulsion to the hive. Suddenly, the thoughts of tackling and ripping the agent's clothes off and doing _other_ naughty stuff returned with avengance. My blush deepened further than usual and felt a shiver go down my spine. _Oh, man... why did I have to be born a girl? A girl with the Scropio sign, raging hormones and being a huge Leon fan?! _The mental picture of Leon unconscious and half naked (that my mind had stored away back at the cabin) sprang up. I whimpered. _Why did it have to pop up?!_

"I know... it's creeping me out too." Leon said as he continued to look at the hive. _If you could see what's on my mind, Leon, that hive won't be the only thing that'll creep you out._

"I agree." I replied, referring to both things. I looked away from him, squashed down the blush and walked over to the ledge of the window, peering down. "Think we should jump?"

Agent Kennedy pulled his gaze away from the pulsing hive and joined me at the ledge. He judged the height of the drop and shook his head. "I don't think so, we're too high. I wouldn't want any of us to break a leg to just get into the room." He smirked as he looked at me. "Besides, we still have to get Caleb."

_Ah, that's right._ I smiled at the dirty blond government agent. "True. Let's go back to Caleb and go through those doors. They lead into the room anyway."

Leon grinned. "Yup. We promised."

We turned away from the sickening hive, returned to the ladder and rejoined with Caleb, who was more than happy to see us again. The dog hopped about happily, licking our faces and wagging his tail. He had even leaped over the window sill and tackled the agent to the balcony's floor to lick his face when we arrived. The White German Shepherd was _damn excited_ to see us.

We quickly had a rejoining party, which consisted of giving Caleb a ton of affection and drinking from the canteen to rehydrate ourselves. Afterwards, we made sure our weapons were loaded and ready, then we pushed open the double doors and entered the next room.

* * *

- Ballroom

The room was, simply put, huge! And it had also seen better days. The once grand dancefloor was ruined; large portions of it were missing, presumably down below somewhere. All there really was of the floor was just darkness. The pieces that were still there weren't much to look at and would make navigating a bit hard, since the really only piece there was to walk on was the fairly large strip in the very center of the room.

The eggshell white walls were cracked, bits of it were crumbling and the color was stained into a very pale yellowish-green. Must have been the slime that stained them. The walls stretched high above us, curving into a lovely and elegantly done, high domish ceiling. Unfortunately, the ceiling was completely ruined by the large, pulsing hive that hung from it. More rivulets of slime dribbled down from it and Caleb seemed to gawk at it. If a dog could make a facial expression, Caleb's would definitely be the 'Just-what-the-_**fuck**_-is-that?!' look.

Leon glanced at the digusting, hanging thing before frowning at it. I'm guessing that he just doesn't like there. I smiled grimly at his wariness towards the hive. _And for good reason._ Mumbling about something, the agent looked away and walked ahead, focused on just getting us out of here as fast as possible. But from the way his body was being, I knew he wasn't letting his guard down. Playing my part, I followed alongside him, hoping nothing will go wrong. Caleb followed directly behind the agent, keeping an eye on the hive as he trotted along.

I was sure that neither Leon nor Caleb seemed to be aware of the soft, rhythmic alien hum as we walked. Which only meant one thing...

I let out a startled cry of surprise as something hard and fast slammed into me from behind. I fell forward but I never touched the ground as strong, scratchy limbs gripped me by the waist and hauled me off the marble floor. _Novistador!_ I screamed again in panic as I was lifted into the air. I knew it was coming and was prepared for it but it still startled me badly.

"Rally!" Leon cried out in shock as the Novistador flew past him with me in its claws. "Damn it!"

Caleb jumped up and snapped his jaws at the bug's legs but wasn't fast enough. I wailed and thrashed in the monster bug's arms in a fake attempt to escape. I knew that I was going to be carried away anyway but I had to make it look good, right?

_BANG!_

Suddenly, the bug's grip slackened and I was let go, falling four hundred feet to floor. I shrieked in panic as I free fell, surprised that Leon had actually managed to hit the bug. Then I suddenly stopped falling, landing in something firm yet warm. And it's not Caleb.

"Are you alright?" the agent asked as I blushed, realizing that I just landed in Leon's arms. "I didn't accidently hit you or anything, right?"

I nodded, fighting to keep my fangirl thoughts in check and keep from overblushing. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Thanks."

The agent smiled in relief to know that I was okay but the smile disappeared as Caleb began to snarl in warning. The soft alien hum of the annoying sewer dwellers suddenly exploded into high pitched shrieks as the Novistadors shot up from the dark abyss below us. Agent Kennedy growled in worry as we found ourselves surrounded by them, seeing nothing but blurs as they flew about crazily, shrieking and completely focused on us.

And from the sounds of their screaming, they were pissed.

"Crap." Leon muttered as he looked at each one carefully. "More of that thing."

I nodded, "I know," I lifted the Handgun and aimed at one, "These are the ones that drop the jewels for the Butterfly Lamp."

"I see. I wished I had a big can of bug spray."

"I do too."

The Novistadors shrieked once more and flew toward us in a charge, a few dropped to the floor and used their invisiblity. I fired at the ones that came at us from the air, since the Handgun is faster to aim. Leon had switched to the Riot Gun and fired on those attacking from the floor. Caleb leaped around and bit anyone of them that came a little too close.

_**Cha-cha...Boom!**_

_**Blam!**_

_**Blam! **_

_**Blam!**_

_**Cha-cha...Boom!**_

_**Cha-cha..Boom!**_

The Novistadors were dropping like...well...like flies, dropping the Eyes like crazy, but they were just a lot of them coming. I ejected my spent clip for the third time and slapped in a new one and continued to fire. Leon had switched back to the Blacktail and used his kicks to take a few down. Caleb was switching between collecting the Eyes and biting whatever bug was close enough to his jaws. We were tiring quickly and burning through the ammo we had but we were dwindling their numbers just as fast.

_**Bang!**_

The last Novistador fell under the agent's gunshot and he sighed, dropping the empty clip and placing in a new one. "For the love of God, how many were there?"

I sighed as well, scooping the Eyes into his attache case. "A lot, Leon, a lot."

The agent looked around and spotted the switch that controlled the drawbridge that was in the Ballroom. I gave him back his attache case as he headed for the switch. "Then let's get the hell out of here."

I began to agree as another rhymthic hum sounded in the ruined Ballroom, echoing off the walls and gave the sense of danger. Of much more danger as a chill went up my spine as I realized this hum was much more deeper than before. And louder. I glanced at Leon, who had paused and I could literally see the shiver go down his back. Caleb began to growl as the humming continued, though hard to pinpoint since it the sound bounced around the walls in the large and rather empty room.

We looked around everywhere, trying to find the source of the humming and either dispatch it quickly or drop the drawbridge and run. I wanted to run, glancing into the gaping darkness that made up most of the floor, wondering if more Novistadors were coming. There had to, otherwise there weren't be any humming. I shifted my gaze to Leon in a silent suggestion that we should leave and do so quickly, but noticed something odd. His attention was not on me, instead he was entirely focused on something above us. And I looked up.

The Novistador hive was pulsing rapidly and more streams of slime dribbled down the green sack. There were a few Novistadors clinging to the hive and staring directly at us; but that wasn't what was making Leon uneasy. It was the hive itself. It pulsed madly as if enraged that we killed the ones that had attacked us earlier. It pulsed and pulsed angrily until the loud, deep humming turned into a deep, low roar of rage.

_Oh my god...._

The hive continued to pulse crazily as if hypervetilating until the lower section of the hive exploded into a slimy mess. Pieces of the hive and goblets of slime flew every whichway and splattered all over the walls, staining them further. And what dropped down from the hive, made me remember that things were going to be a lot harder from now on. Leon stepped back in shock as, whatever the fuck it was, landed on the center isle of the floor and let out a roar of pent up fury.

_Holy shit!  
_

* * *

-Ballroom

"What the-?!" Leon gaped at creature that stood before us, blocking the way to the switch. "What _**is**_ this thing?!"

"How the hell should I know?!" I yelped back. _This sure as hell wasn't in the game.... but it should have been. _It was difficult to see what it really was since it was covered in slime and bits of the hive. All I knew was the fact we were going to find out soon and we were going to hate it, no two ways about it.

The thing threw back its head screamed once more, the entire room vibrating under its mighty voice. Surprisingly, the slime that covered its body flew off from the force of the roar. My teeth chattered from it as the vibrations went up our bodies, shaking us to our bones; even Caleb cried and cringed in pain from it. Ow, senstive dog hearing, poor Caleb. Once the slime was cleared off, we all got a good look at it.

"You've got to be fucking kidding." Leon mumbled in disbelief. Our faithful companion snarled at it, waiting for it to move. I looked at it and wanted to cry. Okay, if you want to know what it is, it was this. Think Giga Bowser from _Super Smash Bros. Melee _and slapped it with a Novistador and you've got just about what we're looking at. A Giga Bowser sized Novistador with none of GB's cool badassness.

I still wanted to cry.

"It's a giant fugly Novistador!" I wailed, making Leon look at me in confusion.

"A what?" he asked quizzically, glancing back at the giant bug to keep an eye on it.

"An ugly bug that can turn invisible."

"I know that these things turn invisible but the name? Doesn't that mean 'no see' or something?"

"Yeah, basically but hey, it's the cult that names the freaks, not me."

"Figures." Leon said then yelped in shock as the huge Novistador charged toward us, not acting like a regular freaky bug should be. But I noticed something odd about it as we dodged the oncoming bug. Okay, besides the fact it was three times the size of a normal one and not acting like one. It was focused on one thing and one thing only....

"Leon, it's after me!" I said as the Novistador skidded to a stop after missing and whirled around. My theroy was proven correct as I moved from spot to another and saw that its gaze never once left me. It completely ignored Leon and Caleb. _Good. We can use that to our advantage. But what can we use?_

The agent aimed the TMP and fired at the creature, trying to get it to turn around and face him. Only, it wasn't working. The shots were bouncing off its tough exoskeleton and it didn't seem to care that the gunfire was tearing away at its wings. Its only mission was to get me. Leon growled angrily as the bug charged past him to get at me. I dodged and shook my head to Leon, silently telling him that trying to kill it with our current weaponry would do no good.

I looked around and finally lifted my gaze, seeing the hive still hanging there and got an idea. "Leon, aim for the hive! I'll lure the Novistador under it and we can crush it that way!"

"Are you-?!" Leon started but stopped when I threw him a glare, that basically asked, 'got-a-better-idea?' The agent frowned but lifted the TMP toward the hive and squeezed the trigger.

_**Tattattattattattattattattatta!**_

The shots pelleted the hive as I moved slowly backwards toward the switch, luring the bug under the repulsive thing. The Novistador didn't seem to notice our plan and continued to come after me. Once under it, I circled it to keep it in place, hoping that Leon would keep to his part and not worry.

The Novistador lunged for me and I dodged its grasp, still circling it to make my plan work. There had been a brief pause in the stream of gunfire as the agent quickly ejected the spent magazine and replaced it. The rapidfire started again as he aimed and fired on the hive, holding the trigger down.

_**Tattattattattattattattattatta!**_

I smiled a bit as I dodged the Novistador's grasp again, knowing that sooner or later I was going to get caught and taken away. A piece of the hive, the lower portion of it, jolted downward as the TMP's rounds tore at weaking piece to dislodge it. Leon glanced at me in worry, still not liking my idea. I smiled at him in return, which told him to not worry and concentrate on the hive. The agent sighed in protest but looked away and kept the gunfire up. I don't blame him, I thought my plan was crazy too, but what else could we do to get rid of this thing? _Don't worry about it, just keep this up and ugly here would be a stain on the floor._

I nodded to myself as I barely dodged the bug's next lunge. Hmm, buggy is catching on to my tactics and is now trying to corner me in order to capture me. It lunged again and I dodged to the right, then seeing my mistake as it suddenly turned and went for me again. I narrowly dodged it again by jumping back and realized my mistake again. I fell for its trap as I was keeping it busy. I just cornered myself, empty blackness behind me and no way around the huge bug. _Okay, now worry!_

The Novistador seemed to grin and swiped at me, trying to grab me. I leaned back to avoid it and ended up with a small slash on the belly part of my shirt. And again made a mistake. _Definitely worry!_ I had leaned back too far and teetered on the edge of the floor. I wheeled my arms in huge circles and arched forward to keep from falling over and regain my footing.

The bug lunged once more and I couldn't move, let alone dodge it. I had no where to run to even if I wasn't about to fall over. Except down. The little piece of ledge I was on, broke and I dropped downward, screaming in surprise and fright. The creature's arms missed me as I dropped toward the abyss. Luckily, I lashed out and grabbed ahold of the newly made ledge and gripped it tightly, dangling in the mouth of the hole. _Okay, panic!_

Leon looked down and saw where I was and freaked. "Rally!"

"Keep going!" I yelled back, my voice coming out a little higher than usual as the Novistador looked down at me. "You're almost there!"

"And you're almost dead!"

"Keep going!"

Leon snarled angrily but fired on the hive anyway; every once in a while firing at the alien bug to keep it away from me. The Novistador ignored him and Caleb completely as it reached for me. I looked past it and saw it happen. The piece dropped from the hive just as the bug's claws grasped my forearm.

_BAM!_

The hive piece slammed onto the Novistador's head and bounced off, flipping over me and disappeared into the darkness below. The force of it had split the bug's head wide open and greenish blood spewed out like a fountain. Its body stummbled back before toppling backwards, dead. I sighed in relief and smiled at Leon, who smiled worriedly back at me, half shocked that my plan worked. So was I but I mentally clapped in glee that it did as I began to pull myself up to get back on the platform.

_RUMBLE!_

"Rally!!" Leon screamed in panic as I looked at him confusion as I planted my feet against the side of a rock and used it to push up. The agent rushed toward me, desperate to get to me for some reason. Confused, I looked up, my brown eyes widening in shock and I gasped in horror.

The rest of the hive slammed onto the platform with a deafening _BOOM!_ just as I hauled my upper body onto the floor. The force of it vibrated the entire room and made me loose my grip on the marble ledge as the shockwave of the landing threw me off the platform.

I screamed in terror as I flew back from the force of the shockwave. I looked at Leon, seeing his blue eyes wide in horror, knowing that there was no way he could rescue me this time. _Dead, I'm so dead! _

Suddenly, I heard a strange alien hum and a Novistador leaped out from the abyss below and caught me. It gripped me tightly with strong claws and keeping them wrapped around my waist, hauled me upwards. I didn't resist as it flew toward the window and I didn't bother screaming for help. I looked at Leon with a sorrowful expression, mentally telling him that I was sorry. I continued to look at him until he disappeared from my sight when the bug flew out the window with me.

I sighed and looked forward, seeing the castle from a bird's eyeview as the Novistador circled around and headed for the clock tower. It was really a beautiful sight to see, everything bathed in a very light golden hue since there were a few hours left before nightfall. I would have appreciated the scenary a lot more if it weren't for the fact that I was being kidnapped...again.

_Alright, Salazar. Here, I come..._

I could see Salazar with his bodyguards, standing on the bridge leading to the tower. The Novistador began dropping its altitude smoothly as I growled at the sight of the midget, wishing that I could kick him over the bridge. I stopped growling as I suddenly remembered something.

_Oh, man... the ritual!  
_

* * *

Finally, I'm done with this chappy! I am so sorry for taking forever on this one. I was hoping I would get this done by Halloween but alas... it wasn't ready. College can take up a lot freetime, not to mention trying to catch up on my college work and get my projects done. (sweatdrops) I'm failing some of my classes. Not good.

Anyway, thank you all for being paitent with me and this fic, I know you guys have your pitchforks and torches ready if I didn't update. I hope you liked this chappy and if you did, you would leave a review for me! And for those who are just tuning into this fic, please leave a review, that way I know I'm doing well and people like it.

Thank you!

Oh! Before I forget... what should the next chappy have while Rally waits around for Leon to show up before being dragged off to the ritual? Yay! The ritual is around the corner! And depending what will be in it, it could be in the next chappy or the one after it. (victory sign pose) And yay, the twenty-seventh of October was my birthday! Now I'm twenty-two, whoo! X3

Anyway, R&R please!


	26. Trapdoors, Stalkers And Rituals Oh My!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists! That and if I did own it, Chris Redfield would have died in the hands of Wesker a long time ago.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** I am SO sorry for taking so damn long with these updates! You see... the deadly creative slumps and writer's block are acting up again! It's been hard focusing on this fic, probably because I'm burning out my brain with ideas and plot twists. So again, I apologize for taking long! I hope you enjoy this chappy and future ones! Thank you! (Plus now that I've got projects to finish on my freetime to pass these classes, I don't have as much freetime as I used to. And I've failed College Math 2 so now I have to take it again. Ergh, not my forte. So yeah. Updates will be extremely slow due to focusing on trying to pass my math class with at least a 'C'. And due to people **not giving **me **reviews. **Please give me some, they sustain my interest in finishing this fic. Because...I've begun to lose interest. I don't want this fic to die out.)

**Final Note:** 148 reviews! Wow, that's a lot for just a fic with 25 chappies. (blush) I didn't know that I'm becoming an idol to some of you. (smile) Thank you, you guys are my idols for being there to read my fic. I would love to thank all of you for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

Everyone gets a Rally bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Combat Rally w/ Wesker's Shades) _"Wesker! Kiss, kiss!"_

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER! WESKER TOO!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you! May you two continue to bless this fic as I add flavors from both you and me! I shall promise to keep the originality going! And may you help me along the way, if I stray from this promise. Thank you, truly.

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Twenty-Five: Trapdoors, Stalkers And Rituals.. Oh My!

- Clock Tower Exterior

I scowled as the Novistador flew at medium height and the little Castellan's image became clearer as we got closer. One of his bodyguards, the one in the black hood and cloak, moved forward towards me. At first, I didn't know why then cried out in surprise as the alien bug decided to let go and dropped me. My butt hit the stone floor first, right in front of Ramon Salazar, who grinned at me. I ignored him as I rubbed my rear gingerly and glared at the monster insect as it circled and landed on the bridge, behind the midget.

"So, did you enjoy your flight, _mi amiga_?" Salazar purred teasingly at me. I frowned as I stood up slowly, wincing a bit in pain from my landing. Believe me, soft, fleshly ass and hard stone floor... don't go together. Well, they can but... in a painful way. (My friend.)

"No, I didn't, _pendejo_." I griped as I crossed my arms, "I would have, but I became a proud owner of a broken ass." (Idiot.)

"My apologies, Rally. I would punish it but it still has its uses." Salazar muttered, giving me an annoyed glare, which I gladly returned. He turned to his other bodyguard, the one in the red robe, speaking to it in Spanish too quickly for me to understand. Verdugo I gave a short nod, glanced at the Novistador and spoke to it in a series of hisses and clicks of its mandibles. The Novistador's head twitched a bit in understanding, responding with its own hisses and clicks.

I blinked in surprise as I watched the two. It was very interesting, really. I had always suspected when I was playing the game but I just thought it was just a guess on my part. I looked at each one as they spoke quickly, from the way they were talking, the hisses and clicks were virtually the same. So that could mean that the Verdugos were advanced forms of Novistadors, the only two out of whatever project they made with the Novistadors. Cool.

I didn't move, watching the two as Verdugo II stood behind me. _Ah, that's why it moved. To keep the exit blocked from me. _Anyway, to my surprise I thought I heard voices, they were a bit bizarre and hard to understand but I was able to catch a few words. _Return...gather... and wait..._ The rest was...well, I didn't hear it. But those were the words I could get and it confused me. Salazar wasn't speaking, Leon wasn't here yet and well Wesker is no where near me. So where did the words come from? I shook my head to focus as Verdugo I hissed a final time and the Novistador took off into the air, winging its way back to the ballroom.

I watched it fly away and Salazar was then back to business. "Come, we must quickly get to the throne room before Mr. Kennedy arrives."

He and Verdugo I turned and walked toward the Clock Tower, Verdugo II pushed me roughly to get me moving. I growled a bit but didn't fight as I moved forward, following the little Castellan. Because as much as I wanted to escape from them, I couldn't. For one, I wanted to keep my weapons and two, I need to keep the story flowing as closely to the game as possible.

* * *

-Clocktower

We entered the tower via the stairs due to the fact the main door was boarded up in advance to secure it from Leon. And I looked around, taking in the area. It was just how it was in the game; big and dully colored. Illuminados were poised at the bottom, ready to attack and alert reinforcements when Leon arrives. The large mechanism was there and just as it in the game, was made of old metal. The large gears were surprising well oiled and taken care of. Well, it had to, or else it wouldn't work and Salazar was screwed.

The midget paused, telling the zealots to turn the gears for us to cross then return it to normal and jam the gears later. A few of the monks scaled the ladders to the switch at the top floor. I looked at Verdugos I and II, noticing that they weren't paying attention to me, so I used it to my advantage. I knelt down in pretending to tie my boots, while scribbling out a brief note to Leon about Watchman's Hallway. I then pulled out my only Flash grenade, set it next to the rail facing the door and stuck my note under it. Knowing Leon, he would see it and take the information into heart.

I retied my boots and stood up as the tower rumbled loudly, signaling the bridge's rotation. After a few seconds, there was loud _BAM!_ as the bridge reached its destination and we began moving again. Verdugo I picked up Salazar and jumped down to the lower level, which was the only exit out of the tower to advance. I looked up and saw a few of the monks in place to jam the gears once Salazar and I were across. It would frustrate Leon for sure, but he could get over that easily since these guys were stupid enough to write their plan down and leave it out in the open for the agent to read. Verdugo II picked me up and leaped down to land next to its brother and master. I scrambled off as soon as we touched ground again, and brushed myself off in a huff.

Salazar grinned at me. "What's the matter, Rally?"

I glared at him. "I don't like people touching me. Especially creeps and freaks like you."

"And yet you enjoy having Mr. Kennedy's arms around you." the Castellan muttered then his grin widen, "I wonder why?

"Don't even think about it, shortie. There's nothing going on between him and me, just us working together to get the hell out of here and kick your asses at the same time." I growled, making certain that I didn't blush.

Salazar's grin didn't falter as he giggled in his childish way and began moving to the exit. Verdugo I and II followed, pushing me along roughly. The Illuminados opened the doors for us and we passed through, walking down the bridge and reaching the doors to Watchman's Hallway. Salazar flicked his hand as a signal and we watched as the bridge reversed in rotation and rumbled back to its original spot.

No more than two seconds later, did Leon appear on the other side, looking at the tower. The medieval midget grinned and clicked on his transceiver. "I wonder if you can see me, Mr. Kennedy." he purred amusedly as soon as the blonde agent picked up.

_"If you even _scratch_ her, I'll break your bones."_ Leon hissed venomously from the other end, blue eyes flashing in anger as he glared at him. I smiled a bit, blushing slightly to know that he cared that much about me. Which is no surprise, he's the hero and very caring about others in danger. _You'll do more than break Salazar's bones, Leon._ What worried me though, was the fact that the government agent's eyes had glowed again. It was brief, but I did see it. Was Leon's eyes glowing due to his super human DNA or was it from the plaga's power connecting to his anger?

I don't know but I hope it's the first of the two sources.

"First, we'll see if you can make it this far." Salazar sneered, "I'll be waiting." He clicked the radio off and began walking again. I knew at that time, Leon would be looking around with his binoculars and see us. The midget motioned for his bodyguards to follow and I waved my arms to get the agent's attention and show that I was alright. I smiled as I saw the torch light reflecting from the lens as he looked directly at us. Then the Verdugos shoved me forward and hissed for me to walk. I glared at them then followed Salazar.

-Watchman's Hallway

The Castellan was already giving orders to enemies here to ready themselves and ambush Leon. I looked around again at the room and was impressed by the state it was in. Like the Scarlet Bedroom, it was beautiful. Smokey white walls, flat ceiling with a couple of candle chandeliers hanging above us. And the hallway was exactly how it was in the game, including the hidden hallway I hated so much. The zealots scrambled to get into position, some were keeping the two Garradors in check so we could pass them safely.

I grinned a bit as we walked up the steps. Their ambush would have worked if I hadn't warned the lovable agent about it in my note. Sorry, Sal, you lose on this one. I glanced back and saw that a few monks had scurried over to the entrance and disappeared from my sight because of the wall. _Odd. I never encountered monks at the door in the game. _But what if there were hidden doors near the entrance? I do remember being ambushed from behind in the game but I always thought that they just came from the entrance itself. The entryway locked behind us with a lattice as soon as we left the hallway; and we continued up the corridor and steps to Salazar's throne room.

* * *

-Salazar's Throne Room

We entered the room and Salazar headed straight for his little throne at the far wall of the room. I followed him but the Verdugo twins pulled me aside and dragged me over to the entrance of another hall. Which was odd because I was supposed to be next to the throne's platform. One of them held their spear to my neck in a way that told me to stay still as the other grabbed my hands and tied my wrists together behind my back with some rope.

Once the task was complete, they forced me to my knees and sit there as we waited for Leon to show up. I tested the bonds and scowled when I found them securely tied. Damn. At least everything was going according to the game, I mean, it would suck if the bonds were done sloppy and I could have escaped easily on my own. If it was done like that, Ashely could have easily gotten away on her own but we all know how dumb she is.

For several minutes we waited for the hero to show up before I got bored. I gazed around, looking for something to stare at besides the large oak door. The room was fairly pretty. Gray-white walls, a high ceiling with a chandelier suspended at the very center of the room. The plush blue carpet that came from the entrance of Watchman's Hall ended at the foot of Salazar's seat. Candles were mounted onto the walls to help light up the room and give it the feeling of warmth and kindness. Like how a true Castellan should be. But right now, the room felt cold and creepy, matching little Salazar's heart.

I shifted my weight a bit to adjust my position on the floor to keep my legs from going numb from poor blood circulation. Then I started to pop my fingers on my left hand to at least do something. Salazar glanced at me with an annoyed expression, rapping his fingers on his armrest as I popped the fingers on my right hand.

I looked back at him with a dry look. "What?"

"Will you stop doing that?" Salazar griped, his yellow eyes narrowing angrily.

"Uh..." I drawled out as I began to twist my upper body to one side then smiled mischievously as my back popped, "Nope."

"It's irritating."

"Too bad, not my problem."

I twisted my body the other way and my back popped again, relief flooding through me from doing so. Ooh, that felt good. Salazar's left eye twitched in irritation as I arched my back and popped it again. I looked at him as he slouched in his throne and rapped his fingers on the armrest, gritting his teeth as I flexed my legs a bit and accidently popped my knee. I winced in pain then jumped in shock as the childlike Castellan snarled at me.

"Can't you do anything else besides making that infernal racket!" he barked, his own eyes glowing slightly from the power of his plaga. I blinked at him in surprise, for the first time I felt slightly intimidated by him. Never in my life did I think the midget could scare me a bit but I shook it off, not wanting him to use that to his advantage.

"I can sing." I replied, shifting again to flex my legs some more.

Salazar lifted a brow slightly in surprise, his anger forgotten for the moment. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Then sing for me."

"Okay. I got one just for you." I grinned wickedly as I cleared my throat, "_It's a small world after all..!_" (AN: The line is from that annoying song in the Walt Disney parks. Creepy ass song.)

The castle master gave me an ugly look. "Don't sing that one!"

"What? You don't like songs with some bounce to it?"

"Sing something else!"

"Okay, okay, fine!" I griped, rolling my eyes heavenward but snickered under my breath. _Ha! Got you for the statement you made earlier, shortie._ I thought about what song to sing to get Salazar to shut up and give me hope because Leon is a bit late for his entrance, which unnerved me. _I hope he's okay..._

Salazar frowned at me. "Rally? Your performance please..." he growled impatiently.

(AN: Yay, my favorite song again!)

"_Prison gates won't open up for me. On these hands and knees I'm crawlin' on, I reach for you... While I'm terrified of these four walls, these iron bars can't hold my soul and all I need is you._" I sang, remembering the time in the church, "_Come please, I'm callin' and oh, I scream for you. Hurry, I'm fallin', I'm fallin'._"

Salazar was uncomfortably quiet, listening to me and... dare I say it? Enjoying the song? That's going cost me some points, for sure. Great, not only will I become his wife, if he remembers, which I hope he doesn't, I'll be his Nighten Gale too.

Yay, fun.

"_Show me what its like to be the last one standing. Teach me wrong from right and I'll show you what I can be. Say it for me! Say it to me and I'll leave this life behind me! Say it if its worth savin' me!_" I continued, feeling a slight vibration on the floor, though I'm pretty sure Salazar nor his cronies felt it since they were focused on me. I took a breath and was about to sing the next verse when...

"_Heaven's gates won't open up for me. With these broken wings I'm fallin' on, all I see is you!_" a muffled voice sang from the other side of the door, "_These city walls ain't got no loves for me! I'm on the ledge of the eighteenth story and oh, I scream for you! Come please, I'm callin' and all I need from you... Hurry, I'm fallin', I'm fallin'..._"

I smiled as I knew who that was! Salazar, on the other hand, knew who that was too and glared at the door in rage. I ignored the midget as I sang the next verse, "_Show me what its like to be the last one standing and teach me wrong from right! And I'll show you what I can be!_"

"_Say it for me!_"

"_Say it to me!_"

"_And I'll leave this life behind me!_" the muffled voice sang.

"_Say it if its worth savin' me! Hurry, I'm fallin'!_" I continued with some tears in my eyes, glad to know he was safe.

_Vrrooo-__**BOOM!**_

The large oak and golden double doors shuddered under the mysterious attack and Salazar's eyes widen, expecting for them to fly off.

Nothing happened.

The little Castellan sighed with relief, relaxing in his throne and grinned. I could tell that he wanted to say, _"Silly American, my castel is far strong than you."_ But before he could, the doors creaked as they fell forward from their hinges, landing with loud resounding _BAM!_

"I told you before at the church, Rally." Leon's voice said, "You _are _worth saving."

The dust and smoke cleared and stepping into the room was a very determined Leon Scott Kennedy. He stepped onto the doors, dumping the empty rocket launcher onto them as he walked, not caring about the damage he done. As he entered, I noticed that Caleb wasn't with him; I can only figure that Leon felt that it was safer for the dog to stay with the Merchant.

_Good call. _

The agent gave the midget a hard glare, his eyes flashing angrily before turning his gaze away. Upon seeing me, however, trapped between the Verdugos and their spears held up to my neck, his eyes widen in fear just a bit. The agent rushed forward, his dark demeanor disappearing in favor for rescuing me.

He stopped short when Salazar giggled childishly. The childlike Castellan grinned as Leon glared at him, his blue gaze glowing just a bit again, which surprised me. The plaga was drawing power from Leon's rage! Oh, this isn't good. This surely wasn't supposed to happen in the game! Leon shouldn't be losing his temper this easily!

Salazar watched him as lightly raised his hand, "Mr. Kennedy, don't you know-" The agent's eyes flickered to the armrest, noticing the little red button, "-when it's time to thrown in the towel?"

The Castellan punched the button with a grin. Leon automatically surveyed the room to see what traps laid in store for him. _It's not the walls, Leon._ The agent's eyes then noticed the mounted candles as their flames flickered back then lurched forward quickly. That's when he realized what was wrong. There was a loud _whoosh!_ as the section of floor the government agent stood on, buckled and dropped away, revealing the dark hole below.

"Leon!" I cried out in alarm, not realizing that I said Ashley's line somewhat. Leon didn't get a chance to yelp out in surprise as he dropped, caught off guard about the trap. I was able to catch a glimpse of the agent flail in shock as the trapdoor closed, then glared at the midget as he sat there, with a smug smile on his face. _Little prick._ He grabbed the megaphone that was connected to his throne and put it to his ear, listening carefully. I took that as my cue to stare at the trapdoor, and hoped that Leon was able to activate his grappling hook.

_Come on, Leon... pull through..._ I thought, focusing on the hidden door, willing Leon to save himself. After a few seconds, Salazar became slightly impatient, shifting in his throne with the device still placed next to his ear. I continued to look at the trapdoor, ignoring the insane Castellan and really hoping my hero was alive. He has to or else this entire storyline will be screwed.

"Hmm... where's the satisfying sound of one's impalement?" the medieval midget muttered, looking slightly confused, not understanding why he was hearing nothing but silence. _Come on, come on! Please, Leon...!_

All was still and silent, everyone wondering what happened to the American agent. Did he just suddenly _poof! _away from harm? Was he stuck? Our questions went unanswered for a few seconds until-

_Bla-tink!_

"Aah!" Salazar pulled away from the megaphone in shock and surprise, not to mention pain as the sound vibrated painfully in his ear. I let out a quiet sigh of relief as the master of the castle glared at the golden device. "How dare you!" he hissed into it for Leon to hear then hurled it aside. He jumped up from his throne and threw a childlike fit, stomping his feet angrily. "No more games! Kill him!"

I giggled from the situation. Despite the fact I could die from pissing off the mad midget, it was still pretty funny to see him throw a bitch fit. The Castellan glared at me then looked at the red robed Verdugo and thrust his arm in one direction as a signal. "KILL!"

The Verdugo lifted its spear and rushed away to do his master's bidding. Seconds after Verdugo I left, Salazar hopped down from his platform and walked off, which was the cue for his other bodyguard to haul me up to my feet for us to follow him. "Quickly! We shall prepare for the ritual!"

I sighed as I followed him. "Leon, you sure has hell gave me a scare there. Thank god you're still alive." I murmured quietly as we went down the hall. We didn't even reach half way down the corridor when Salazar stopped and pulled out his radio. He pressed a button and hailed Leon.

He glared at the agent's handsome face. "So maybe you have nine lives. But it doesn't matter now, Mr. Kennedy!" the castle master hissed then grinned evilly. "I've sent my right hand to dispose of you."

_"You're right hand comes off?"_

I laughed as Salazar glared over his shoulder at me then looked back at Leon, sniffing in disdain. "Say whatever you please." he muttered then glared at the agent with glowing yellow eyes, and snarled viciously. "DIE YOU WORM!" The Castellan then hurled the radio against a wall, watching it shatter into pieces. I was silent as Salazar let out a breath of frustration then continued on his way, still in a sour mood. Verdugo II pushed me forward to get me to walk, at which I obeyed quietly, waiting for the midget to calm down before trying anything.

* * *

- Some random area in the Castle

We walked up and down several corridors, doors and stairs. I've lost my sense of direction since we went around so many corners that I didn't know which direction we were facing. We went up a hallway and down another set of stairs before Salazar even looked over his shoulder at me. He narrowed his yellow eyes at me slightly and I glared back.

"What?" I growled, "I'm not going anywhere."

"How is it that you and Mr. Kennedy were able to evade capture up until now?" Salazar asked, glancing at me from the corners of his eyes. I tilted my in confusion at his question. Was it just me or is he really interested in this?

"Survival instincts, good weapons, team work, and-" I grinned a bit, "-skills." _Not mention, that I knew what was going to happen and we cheated off of that. _I raised a brow in suspicion. "Why do you ask?"

The little Spaniard smiled crookedly, "Do you think Mr. Kennedy has the 'skills' to survive now?"

"Leon survived the village, took out Mendez and made it through your traps in one piece." I answered, "You should be well aware that he will survive any trial you give him to rescue me."

Salazar narrowed his eyes at me in anger but kept his mouth shut for a bit, then his anger melted away as another evil grin formed on his pale face. "Really? We shall see about that, wench. We shall see if he can survive against me."

I rolled my eyes as he turned back and continued on his way to the tower where the ritual will be held. _Ye-ah... Dream on, short stack. _

We passed through another door and went down another hall. So far, we walked about an hour and half and still no where near the Tower. As we walked, we passed by a slight open room. I was able to catch a glimpse of the interior and my eyes widen in surprise. There was gold and gems and other random rare and beautiful things in that room. _Holy crap. That's enough to rebuild Raccoon City ten times over!_ We just passed by Salazar's Treasure Room! _Cool. Leon would be happy with this... or maybe the Merchant. Yeah, the Merchant would be giddy with all that gold._

Anyway, we continued on our boring way until we stopped in front of another door. Salazar was giving orders to a cultist to alert those in Leon's path of the agent's arrival. Which could explain why there was a bunch of villagers at different spots on my hero's path in the game. As Verdugo II and I waited for Salazar to finish up so we could move on, I glanced around the hallway we were in and noticed that it had a bunch of doors lining the walls. I only assumed that we were in the living quarters of everyone in the castle. _Wow, that's a lot of people. And Leon and I just about wiped out half the population on our trek through this madhouse._

I glanced behind the bodyguard to see if there was anything of interest to look at as we waited. At first, there wasn't much to look at. Cream white walls, plush blue/green carpet and dark wood doors and some old paintings. Pretty but dull. I scanned the area again, looked over something, ignored it for a bit then did a double take. My eyes widen in surprise at what was behind us, then quickly looked away before Salazar or Verdugo II noticed me.

_Wesker? What the hell is he doing here? Okay, scratch that. How the hell did he get so far ahead of Leon?_

I looked back and noticed that Wesker was gone. He's still there, just out of sight. Oh, god, has he been following me? I was nudged forward by the Verdugo, indicating that we were moving again. I was a bit reluctant to move but walked when the bodyguard nudged me again a bit more roughly. I stumbled forward a bit but managed to stay balanced and keep Salazar from suspecting anything as we went into another room.

I recognized the style of the room as the one for the railcar. Oh, thank god! A tramcar we can ride on and give our legs a break. The Castellan boarded the railcar first, I was shoved in next and the bodyguard came in last, sitting next to its master and keeping the spear on me. Only not dangerously close as before, since we were in railcar and Salazar didn't want me to get impaled by the spear. At least not yet.

The tramcar pulled away from the platform and we sped down the tracks smoothly. The air whipped gently around us and I was relieved for it, relaxing just a tad. I glanced off to the side to avoid looking at Salazar and noticed that we were outside. The golden hue was gone, the sky mostly pink and purple mixed together, indicating that it was just evening. It would be another hour before the dark veil of the night would settle in. And during that time, I would be hauled up the tower for the ritual.

Suddenly, I felt worried and glanced back, looking down the tracks. Salazar noticed and smirked to himself. "What's wrong, Rally? Worried for Mr. Kennedy?"

"...Yeah... you can say that." I muttered, not really paying attention to him. _No, I'm not worried about Leon. He'll be fine. _It was Wesker that worried me. Was he still following me? Or did he finally give up and go back? No... that's not his style. Wesker is stubborn when it comes to what he wants. The man never quits when he sets his eyes on something. Admiring but right now, annoying. I looked dully back they way we came, letting my mind wander off when something caught my eye. I focused on it and tensed, my gaze widening again in both shock and annoyance.

Wesker was _running_ after us, he was far enough away to avoid having Salazar or Verdugo see him but I knew he was there. He was following, his focus solely on keeping us in his sights. Which is no problem for him since he's a human BOW. For some reason, he reminded me of the T-1000 of _Terminator 2: Judgment Day._ _For the love of all things that creep in the night, Wesker, what the hell are you doing! Do you _want _to get caught?_

I quickly mouthed to him to stay away but Wesker ignored me and kept running after the railcar, keeping his distance. I growled softly at him. _Stubborn, arrogant, deceiving, hot, sexy, blonde, shade wearing bastard! You're just as stubborn as Leon._

"Is there a problem, Rally?" Salazar inquired, noticing how tense I was. I winced inwardly and turned back around, facing him with a frown on my face. Nah, you think? Of course I have a problem! I've got Wesker stalking me for some reason and he's following us right now. It's a major problem because he's not suppose to be here!

"No, there isn't." I grumbled a bit instead as we neared the next platform. "Other than the fact I'm stuck with you."

Salazar frowned, "Believe it or not, I have a problem being around you as well."

"Well, hey, that is something we can both agree on. We both get on each other's nerves. How fun is that?"

The Castellan scowled as the railcar stopped, then stood to get off. As soon as he was off, the Verdugo dragged me out of the tramcar and pushed me in front of it. I stumbled a bit then straightened out and followed my captor as the bodyguard kept a close eye on me. Salazar pressed his hand on a certain spot on the wall and the stone sank in, revealing a hidden door within the wall. We walked down the torch lit tunnel and the midget revealed another door for us to go through. We passed through the secret passage and entered the next room.

* * *

- Cathedral

Ah, the Cathedral also known as the Hall of Worship for these guys. It was impressive, it really was. Gray-white walls, the three levels on each side of the room, the beautiful floor-to-ceiling stain glass window. What really tied this room together was the large pool of clear water that took up the majority of the cathedral. The only thing that ruined the beauty of the room was the giant Salazar statue set between large twin torches they had in here.

I looked up at it as we descended down the steps and stopped as Salazar gave orders to the cultists guarding the hall. _Man, he really is high on himself._ And Saddler allows him to do this? Wow, the priest is cunning.

"Impressive, no?" Salazar suddenly asked, smiling proudly at the statue of himself.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "Yeah, impressive." I replied dryly, "It portrays just how big your ego is. And how cold you truly are."

Salazar stiffened and his eye twitched a bit in contained rage as he turned around to walk down the walkway across the pool. "Let's continue our way, the preparations should be complete by now." he said, forcing his voice to have a calm tone.

We moved down the path and out the door, walking across the bridge to the tower. At this point, I decided to have a talk with Wesker, who was no doubt in the Cathedral right now. But I needed to escape Salazar for a bit, just long enough for me to tell Wesker to quit following me and stay low. I waited until we were about halfway across the bridge before I made my move.

"Oh, Salazar. That question you asked while we were on the railcar." I said, as I slowed my walking and stood still. Salazar turned and gave me an annoyed look.

"Yes?" he asked in exasperation. I grinned at him, as I unhooked an Incendiary grenade from my belt loops as discreetly as possible.

"I do have a problem, short stuff." I sneered then glared at him, "I'm being abducted by slimy parasites, alien bugs and midgets who are high on themselves. Not to mention that their Lord, is a crazed priest who thinks he has the right to kidnap people and inject with things humans aren't supposed to mess with!"

Salazar snarled, "How dare you speak of Lord Saddler in such disrespect!"

"If he wants respect from me, then have him forge it into a rocket launcher and I'll give him his fucking respect!" I snapped back, holding the trigger down as I pulled the pin out.

"Watch your tongue, woman!"

"Watch this, short stack!"

I whirled around and threw the red grenade at him. He shrieked in surprise, jumping back to avoid it as it hit the floor and set fire to that spot. Verdugo II leaped over the flames and covered its master from harm instead of knocking me out, which I was grateful for. I ran down bridge as fast as I could, and shoulder slammed the door open. I flinched as pain throbbed my left shoulder from slamming the metal door as I stumbled in.

Oddly enough, the cultists were gone. Probably out getting their weapons ready for Leon to show up. I looked around and sure enough, Wesker was there. He was just entering the hall and looking at the statue in disgust, probably thinking it was just too much over the top. I agree.

"Wesker!" I yelled as I raced forward to reach him. He turned to me in annoyance and glared at me as I stopped in front of him. I shivered involuntarily as he looked straight at me with his reddish-gold feline eyes. Geez, no wonder he keeps his shades on. Girls would run in fear from him. As for the fangirls... we would run too. But toward him in hopes of snuggling against the sexy villain. Or hope to get laid by him, I'm not sure myself. I blushed slightly as my mind began to wander into RE LaLa Land, the realm of the RE fan thoughts. Then I remembered what I was supposed to be doing and quickly shook myself free from my fangirl thoughts and pushed them aside as I glared at Wesker.

"Wesker, what the hell are you doing?" I hissed, keeping the fangirl thoughts at bay. _So close... but... not now!_

Wesker didn't answer, merely looked at me for a few seconds then whipped his arm out and grabbed my neck. I squealed in surprise and gagged as he tighten his grip a little. He narrowed his fiery eyes as he lifted me by my throat, letting his demeanor speak for him.

He was not in a pleasant mood.

"Everything you know, I want to know." Wesker said smoothly as if making a oridinary business deal, "What happened in the past, what's happening now and what will happen in the future, all of it. And I want to know _how_ you know."

"W-what?" I lifted my brows in surprise as I flailed a bit to get out of his grip. He wants to know what?

"How did you know about Ada's weakness towards Leon in Raccoon City if you were never there?" Wesker asked calmly, his dark charm still there. "Unless you were in their presence, which I doubt you were, you found out about them in some other way. A special way that you don't want to share with anyone else, correct?"

My eyes widen in alarm. _Uh-oh._

Wesker smiled darkly. "Ah, so I am right. You know far more than you're letting on, don't you? Keeping secrets from a certain government agent, hmm?"

I lowered my eyes and looked away, suddenly feeling guilty. He was right, I was lying to Leon about this. But I had to to keep the storyline on track. Wesker smiled as he lowered me back to the floor and I began to shift uncomfortably under his gaze and demeanor, my resolve crumbling under his questioning. _Don't fold._

"That 'special' way, Ms. Nightshade. I want to know what that is and you _will_ tell me."

"...No."

"Pardon?"

"No, I'm not going to tell you. I _can't_ tell you."

Wesker narrowed his eyes at me slightly, "How disappointing, dear heart. I thought by asking you kindly, you will give me what I asked for. But I see that force will have to be used to get the information I seek."

_Oh, man... force? I've never seen Wesker torture anyone before I can only guess that he has done so before._

"Even under force, I-" I paused in my reply then gasped slightly as I felt my plaga twitch lightly. It was responding to another plaga's presence, one that was close and the closest one would be... oh shit! I looked at Wesker and hissed. "Hide."

"Excuse me?"

I looked toward the door I had come through and felt Salazar's plaga approaching as I looped my arms around my legs, bringing them to my front. He would arrive in a few seconds. I looked back at Wesker and saw there was no time for him to hide without being notcied by Verdugo II. _Crap._ I glanced at the pool of clear water and sighed.

_Sorry, Wesker._

I suddenly jumped at Wesker and threw us both into the pool. I tugged Wesker's wrist to get him to swim under the bridge and stay there. Wesker grabbed my bound wrists and pulled me along under the bridge just as the door to the Tower opened. Wesker heard it too and began to surface, pulling me along. We both surfaced quietly and listened carefully.

"Where is the girl?" Salazar snarled, no doubt throwing another bitch fit, "Find her!"

Wesker and I heard the heavy footsteps of Verdugo II as it raced across the bridge to check around. I took a quiet breath and sank back into the water, holding onto Wesker's leg for support. I looked around and saw no other hiding place to stash Wesker in. Crap, and it'll only be a matter of time before Salazar ordered that freak to check the pool. _Wait... what's that?_ I squinted and there, carved into the floor of the platform was a hole. That must where the water circulates to keep the pool clean. I smiled. _Perfect._

I surfaced and looked at Wesker. "I found a hiding spot for you." I whispered, "It's just under the foot of the bridge."

Wesker nodded in understanding and we both went back under. I pointed it out for him and he swam toward it, pulling me along since I couldn't swim with my hands tied together. He swam swiftly toward into the tiny tunnel and surfaced. I surfaced as well and sighed sliently then glared at Wesker.

"Are you _trying _to get caught?" I hissed lowly at him, which earned me a glare from him. I rolled my eyes at his expression, "Okay, I'll amend that. What are you even doing here? I thought you don't dirty your hands but send your goons to do it. Like sending Ada and Krauser."

Wesker smirked, "I do have others do the work for me but it doesn't mean I don't watch them to make sure they don't disappoint me."

"Whatever. So why were you following me?" I asked, "Seriously, it's creepy." _Yet awesome. I got a hottie for a stalker!_

"For only two reasons, dear heart. Getting a hold of how you get your information. And-" Wesker held his hand out to me at which I looked at him in confusion. He motioned with his fingers that said 'give it to me' and then I realized what he wanted. _Oh, that._ I blushed as I held onto his jacket and kicked with my feet to stay afloat.

"Uh, sure... if you can-" I trailed off as I tugged on his jacket. He glanced downwards and arched a brow at me which confused me. I blinked for a few seconds, realized what he thought and I blushed as I shook my head. "Oh! No, not that." _At least not yet... bad fangirl thoughts!_ "I meant if you could free my wrists."

Wesker grabbed my wrists and pulled them apart, snapping the rope in one go and amazingly giving me no pain. _That was totally awesome. _I sank back down to open my side pack and give back his shades. _Aw, but I wanted to keep those. Yeah, keep them and have a pretty pissed off Wesker drown you to get them back, or you can just hand them over and be glad you actually managed to steal them in the first place. _I nodded to myself, agreeing to the latter choice. _Yeah, I'll go with that._

I frowned when I noticed that the zipper was stuck and struggled with it to get it to open. I gave up on it after a bit and gripped Wesker's leg to make sure I didn't drift down too far. I looked through the tunnel and froze in surprise. There, on the otherside of the rather small tunnel, was a pair of glowing red eyes that were completely focused on me. I tighten my grip on Wesker's leg in alarm, warning him that Verdugo II had found me. I felt Wesker stiffen slightly in caution, either to wait to attack or, for once, listen to my warning and stay absolutely still to keep from being discovered.

I shot back up to the surface in feint attempt to escape the Verdugo but to really tell Wesker to stay where he was. I surfaced and gasped for air then looked at Wesker. The human BOW had braced his arms against the walls of the little tunnel to keep himself still and not attract attention to the Verdugo's eyes. Clever...but oh so funny. If I could I would laugh but I didn't have the time nor did I want to rouse his anger.

"Stay here and-" I never got to finish my sentence as I felt the bugman's strong clawed hand grab my ankle. I gasped in surprised as it jerked me back under. I flailed underwater, trying to break free and get back to the surface to get more air since I didn't get enough to fill my lungs. The Verdugo didn't seem to care that I was partly drowning as it dragged me out of the tunnel to take me back to Salazar. I scrabbled at the walls with my fingers to get some kind of grip and kick it away. But we all know how retarded that tactic is. To quote Jeff Dunham's puppet, Achmed the dead terrorist, _"He-y" _jokes_, _I made my own. He-y, I'm underwater stupid.

The Verdugo shot out of the pool in spray of water and landed on the bridge in a show of grace and power as water rained back down. Water mist huffed from its mandibles (sort of how Triple H does when he gets into the ring) as it stood in its wet cloak and hood, waiting for its master to come. Salazar scurried over to his bodyguard; his small, pasty face red from anger and threw another child-like tantrum.

"How dare you, how dare you, how **dare** you!" the Castellan shrieked angrily, "How dare you try to kill me!"

The Verdugo lifted its arm, bringing me into view of the tweaked midget. I crossed my arms as I hung upside down, a smile plastered to my face. "What? I thought if I threw the Incendiary grenade at you, you would have gotten a tan. And believe me... you need one. Badly."

Salazar snarled, his small body trembling in uncontrollable anger. "_No mas!_ We're going straight to the tower and get this ritual done! No more distractions!" He turned to his bodyguard and nodded. And the next thing I know I felt a sharp pain hit me on the top of my head as the creature dropped me. I laid limply on the bridge suddenly feeling too heavy to move, to get away from them. I blinked slowly, seeing only Salazar's legs then his face when bugman used the back of my shirt to lift me up. The midget glared at me but I didn't care, I was just too tired to care anymore. (No more)

My vision began to fade as the Castellan smirked at me. "_Vamanos. _We must finish the ritual and engagement before we take her to Lord Saddler." (Let's go.)

_Oh...man..._

My head dropped forward and my world went black.

* * *

-Tower (an hour later)

I stirred and my eyes fluttered open, blinking in confusion. _Where...?_ I looked around, letting the world come to me slowly as I sorted through my muddled thoughts then remembered. _Oh... yeah. I was kidnapped and brought to Spain by Krauser at the order of Saddler. Went through the village and the castle, got seperated from Leon again and brought to Salazar. And-_ I looked up and stared right into the face of little Ramon Salazar, which surprised me and made me jump a bit. _Uah! Maybe I was better off still unconscious._

"Ah, hello. So you've finally awaken, Rally." the midget smirked, "Good."

I scowled at him. "Yeah, well fuck you too, shortie." I growled as I shifted a bit to get make sure my body was still functioning correctly. That's when I noticed two things. One, I'm on that stupid little ritual platform that the pudgy here stood on in the game, which was suspended several feet from the actual floor. The room itself was as creepy as it ever was in the game. Light brownish brick walls surrounded us and reached for the sky that peeked through the broken and worn down ceiling. And in front of us, as ugly as ever, was the large pod that clung to the northern wall and doors. Helping it stick there was its hundreds of tendrils that burrowed deep into the stone bricks. Below that thing was pit with wooden barrels, ladders and a colony of third phase Plagas.

Anyway, the second thing I noticed was the fact my clothes didn't feel right. I glanced down at myself and stared in shock. _What the hell? White? Why am I wearing white? Wait..._ I narrowed my eyes as I stretched my leg out and looked at it for a few seconds. _Is this... is this the popstar outfit Ashley wears as her special costume? _

"What the fuck is this?" I yelled angrily, glaring at Salazar. How dare that little prick have someone change my clothes while I was unconscious! I was infuriated that I was violated in someway. For his own sake, he better pray he wasn't here to watch them change my outfit. "Who the hell do you think I am? Barbie?" I snapped, "Is that what I am to you? A plastic doll with a six-inch waist? Are you stupid?"

Salazar glared at me in return, "Those are your ritual clothes."

"_Ritual clothes?_ These are something Britney Spears would wear in a strip club!"

"Fine, I'll amend." the Castellan muttered, rolling his eyes at me. "Those are your engagement clothes."

"Engagement clothes?"

"Yes! Now we must begin the ritual!"

"Hey!" I yelled angrily as Salazar scurried down the steps of the platform behind me. I turned to yell at him some more then stared in surprise at the cultists that stood behind me in neat, curved rows. Obviously, they were in ritual formation and the little castle master stood on the steps and was speaking to them in Spanish, going into some grand speech. Complete with his own flourishing gestures. I didn't really pay attention to his words but his position. He was close enough for me to kick but with his bodyguard, glaring at me from his spot, I doubt I would be faster than that thing.

Too bad, it would have been funny and worth any pain to see him fall down the stairs. I sighed and shrugged then blinked in surprise at the fugly thing that just on the other side of the room. Like a monstrous flower, the pod opened and revealed the Plaga Queen herself, surrounded by hundreds of smaller tendrils. The large, brown head, coated in disgusting slime, sat within the pod and watched us all.

The head wavered and bobbed softly as it watched us with its eternal grin, which sent shivers down my spine. The smile she had was extremely creepy, since it showed its large, jagged and oddly white teeth. It let out a throaty growl from the depths of its pod, its single red/yellow eye narrowed slightly as if demanding what excuse we had for disturbing her slumber. I had no problem with her going back to sleep.

In fact, I _want _her to go back to sleep.

Salazar had turned around and crooned at the creature, holding his hand out to it as if to caressed it like it was his lover. I mentally gagged at the thought. _Eww, gross... Quick! Think of something else! Like Leon! Think of Leon! ...Ooh, yeah..._

"My most humblest apologizes for disturbing you. But I have another follower for you." the little Castellan purred then pushed me forward gently, "This girl is an important addition for our religion, she is to be the one to spread the seeds of our faith to the world. I apologize for her still being impure but I have faith in your power. For only your holiness could purify her soul."

I looked at the creature, who clicked its tongue in disinterest and boredom. Saliva dribbled from its mouth and splattered on the floor below with a wet _splat!_ At which, the adult plagas scurried over and sucked at the glob of fluid. _Oh, that is so sick._ I looked away from them before I lost my dinner. _Holiness? What have these guys been sniffing to think that?_

"I implore you, please make her your follower."

I took a step back as the gargantuan plaga looked straight at me. "Uh... I don't think that's a good idea." I looked at Salazar, "I mean, seriously. Do you really think she should waste her power and...holiness... on me?"

The midget gave me a disapproving glare and pushed me back into my spot. "You're correct to know that I don't want her to waste her precious power on you but it is the will of my lord. And I will follow that will to the end. Now stay still and the rest of the ritual will be over quickly."

I shifted uncomfortably in front of the beast's gaze. "How kind of you to go that far."

Salazar looked at the Plaga Queen with such affection it bordered on the line of obession. Creepy. "By the wish of Lord Saddler, please make her one of us." the midget purred as he walked backwards down the steps. At the base of the stairs, he bowed in respect to it, the other Illuminados quickly knelt to the queen and everyone was silent.

The Plaga Queen in the meantime was silent, looking at me as it tilted her head in thought. It considered the request and weighted its possible options, trying to figure out if this was good or bad. _It's bad, okay? Bad, bad, bad! It's a bad request. Don't do it. _After a bit, the head of the queen pulled away from the shadowy depths of her pod and stretched across the room, stopping right in front of me. _Ooh, not good._ Apparently, it trusted Saddler's judgment and decided to grant Salazar's request.

Salazar looked up and smiled evilly before he turned to the other zealots, telling them to stand. The group stood and soon they began to chant. A chant I seriously didn't want to know about but kinda found it soothing, much to my horror, as the Plaga Queen hummed along with it. I think I only found it soothing because of the plaga within me was enjoying it. _Curse you, you little shit._

It lashed out with its tendrils and wrapped them around my arms and legs, holding me still. Or as still as it could get with it's slimy appendages. In an instant I was struggling to break free from it's grip and get the hell out but it had a pretty strong grip for a slimy thing. The Plaga Queen reached out with one tentacle and had it poised to my head, at which I thought it was going impale me, so I struggled harder; shuddering in disgust as I felt the slime run down my arms and legs. The appendage followed my head's movements for a bit before she finally grew tired and another tendril lashed out and gripped my neck. It gave a warning squeeze and I stood absolutely still, not wanting it to snap my neck.

The queen continued to hum as it's eye glowed a bright red and the tentacle she was aiming at my head, moved forward and lightly touched the tip of it to my forehead. I gasped in surprise as my eyes glowed the same color and I suddenly felt her numb my control over my own body. My body relaxed, despite the fact I'm freaking out here, my heart-rate was returning to normal and I was completely devoid of emotion. I felt _nothing_, and I realized that I was a puppet to my plaga. Suddenly I felt her, the Plaga Queen, within my mind.

* * *

- Rally's Mind

_I snapped out of whatever trance I was in and blinked rapidly, looking around in confusion. Where was I? The place I was at was completely empty, save for the black void that surrounded me, if you could call that something. The darkness was odd. It felt both comforting and yet at the same time it wasn't. I could guess that the darkness was comforting because I knew it and have been here before. This was my void, my comfort zone whenever I felt scorned, other than my world filled with my favorite characters that I could chase. _

_The uneasy feeling was due to the fact that my sanctuary was no longer mine. It wasn't pure anymore because someone or something invaded it. I then remembered that the Plaga Queen was doing the ritual to make me one of them and so she invaded my personal bubble of safety. And I wanted her out._

_"In due time, my dear." a female voice purred from behind, at which I whirled around to face. I blinked in shock as I stared at the mother of all plagas. Apparently her mental image was a lot better looking than her physical form. She had long dark hair, red eyes, tanned skin and exotic looking dress that covered her voluptuous figure._

_"Plaga Queen?" I asked in confusion, still shocked at her image._

_She smiled, "That's right, Rally. I'm the mother and queen to all of Las Plagas. As you know, I'm here to fulfill the request young Salazar asked of me."_

_"Thank you for the offer, but I going to decline." I muttered, shaking myself out of the shock and being back to business._

_The Plaga Queen's smiled never wavered, only grew. "Well, that's too bad. You don't get a say in this." She snapped her fingers and a bubble of some kind of energy surrounded me and trapped me within it. I looked around in surprise then glared at her. _

_"I don't care what you do, I'm still not giving in to you!"_

_"That's okay, my dear. It's she who gets the power to overtake you." She pointed out to the side and I looked then gasped in surprise as a mirror image of myself appeared only now sporting a pair of glowing red eyes. "This is your plaga, she has looked into every memory you have and imitate you perfectly."_

_"That's still not going to help you."_

_"Oh, but once she's fully grown, your mind and soul, your very life is mine to control. But right now she only has enough power to overtake you at times and only for a short while."_

_I scowled at her from within my bubble cage. "My, how precious this must be to you."_

_The queen smiled again, "The ritual is almost complete, now all you need to do is repeat the chant and hand over your body."_

_"Fat chance that'll-" I suddenly paused and found myself kneeling in front of her from within my bubble. I looked over my shoulder and found that my plaga had force her new powers on me and forced me to my knees. _

_The Plaga Queen laughed at my futile attempts to break free from my plaga's power, "Now... repeat after me..."_

(A/N: Okay, I know I made this a bit too fantasy like for RE but then again, it was different and original, I think. But then hey, why would you care how it is as long as its good, right? Right. On with the fic!)

* * *

-Tower

Out in the real world, if you could call it 'real' right now, the ritual chant was booming from the chorus behind me, the high pitched squeals of the adult plagas below me as they scuttled around and tried to sing along. Keyword: tried. The plagas were like an off key choir gone retarded. Oh, well. The chanting voices was louder than it really was as the sounds bounced around the walls of the room and coming into contact with my ears. Aw, music, sweet annoying church like music. (A/N: No offense to those who go to church and enjoy the music they have.)

I could clearly hear Salazar laughing behind me and "cheered" his announcement. "Finally, we shall see the conclusion of the ritual where Rally accepts our faith!"

The Plaga Queen was still humming and released my limbs, much to the relief of my numbing arms and legs, leaving a disgusting coat of slime on me. Thanks, bitch. I still had no control over my own body as I just stood there like a bump on a pickle. The monstrous plaga hummed a different tune and my mouth opened. _Oh, no you don't! Close it! Close it, close it! Come on mouth, close! _

My body waited for the queen to loop back to the beginning of the hum as I desperately tried to regain control of my body. The hum looped back and I began to freak. _No! Don't do it! No! No!_ Despite my best efforts, my mouth moved and began to chant. Everyone in the room soon began to chant as well along with me.

_NO!_

"_Morir es vivir eso es nuestro manera... Nacimos en codicia, criamos con oido, ayudamos a decidir nuestro destino. Nos conduce al día de oro; el mundo rendiráse a nuestro nueva manera._" my body chanted in monotone, accepting the religion without question as I screamed in horror within my own mind, "_Del oscuridad y en el sol los Illuminados levantaránse como uno. Morir es vivir eso es nuestro manera..._"

(A/N: The translation _to_ Spanish was done by 1wingangel to the best of her abilities! Thank you so much! You rock girl! The English one will be put at the end of the chapter, okay? Thanks. XD)

The voices died down as the Plaga Queen chuckled to herself, the ritual done and the request fulfilled. I continued to stare robotically at her as she retreated to her fleshy nest, chanting "_Morir es vivir_" softly until she was out of sight. Once she was gone, my plaga's control over me vanished (for the time being anyway) and I stumbled back, startled that control was thrust to me so suddenly. Verdugo II caught me and held me upright as Salazar laughed, walking up to me.

I move each of my limbs carefully to see if I was really back in control as the little midget spoke. "Finally! _Felicitaciones,_ Rally. You are now one of us. How does it feel?" (Congratulations.)

"Peachy. Can I give it back now?" I growled, my words slurring just a bit as I tested my mouth.

"No."

"Didn't think so."

"Now that ritual is complete, we can take you to Lord Saddler for your plaga completion."

"Oh, fun." I said sarcastically then thought about something. I remembered something and debated whether to ask it or not. Believe me, I didn't want to but I had to know. As we both turned from the pod and began down the stairs, I asked him the question that was in my mind. "Uh, when are we going to get engaged? So I know when to throw fits and try to kill you later on."

Salazar looked confused at the question. "Hmm? What engagement?"

I glared at him, "The engagement you said that going to happen, when is that?"

His brows lifted in surprise then chuckled, "Oh, _that_ engagement." He smiled, "There is none."

I stared at him, "What?"

"There is no engagement. It was just a ruse to trick you."

"A trick?"

"Yes, a trick. A joke if you will."

"Oh, a joke." I continued to look at him, my eyes darkening further. "Ha, funny."

Salazar beamed about it, "Yes it was, wasn't it? Besides, why would I waste my youth on a rebellious American wench like you?"

I glared at him, "I don't know, but do you find _my _joke funny?"

"What joke?"

"This one!" I snarled then slammed my foot against his back, sending him flying forward and rolling down the stairs. "You little bastard! You set that whole thing up to freak me out for a joke?"

I raced down the stairs after him, the group of Illuminados leaped in and blocked my way as they grabbed a hold of me to restrain me. I flailed and snarled, trying my best to break free and strangle little Salazar. Verdugo II had leaped overhead and landed before its master to protect him in case I did free myself from the throng of zealots. I was surprised myself, I never thought that I could fly into a rage this bad.

I struggled wildly, clawing the air in front of me in vain attempts of grabbing the Castellan. Suddenly, I just relaxed, my body going limp for a second then straightened itself out on its own. I looked to one of the zealots and nodded at which, they reluctantly let go of me. Salazar peeked around his bodyguard and looked at me. I merely stood there, gazing back at him calmly as if the fight had never taken place.

"My apologizes, Salazar. I had tapped into her emotions and inadvertly sent her into a rage while she was talking to you." I apologized, even though I didn't. Ah, it was my plaga that had taken control of me to keep me from killing Salazar. Rather confusing, really since I both did and didn't want to kill the little midget.

"Oh, alright." Salazar sighed as he stepped around his bodyguard.

I suddenly angled my head as if to listen then nodded, looking back at medieval Castellan. "Sir, I advise that you get the girl out of here while there is still time and while I still have control over her body. The American agent is riding the elevator to the top. His plaga informed me."

Salazar looked surprised at the speed the agent was making to get me back. "Ah, _gracias._ My bodyguard and I will stay here to finish him off." He looked to a small portion of the group of cultists. "You there, get her to that thug our lord has hired. The rest of you join the others at the elevator and slow him down."

The zealots nodded and did as they were told. Most of them scurried off to keep Leon busy while the portion escorting me, lead me out of the room via another secret passage. Salazar and Verdugo II stayed behind and stood on the platform, watching the Plaga Queen and waiting for Leon to show up.

_Leon, be careful and take out Salazar for me. And be prepared for what the Island has in store for you._

The passage closed and I was gone, slipping past Leon's reach once again.

* * *

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Ehh, well that was late. Anyway...WHOO! I finished! This chappy at least! I wish I had finished this earlier so that you guys could have something to read over the Holidays. Forgive me. Anyway, I hope you liked this chappy! It's my longest one so far! It has been a tiring two week vacation. I couldn't think of anything to add to this chappy for most of the first week, which sucked. Then wrote bit by bit the rest of the time, but I finally got on a roll and finished this on New Year's Day and January 2nd. Yays for me!

Finally! The Castle portion is done and we get to move on to final phase of the game! The Island! Will Leon and Rally survive the challenge? Pfft. Of course they will, otherwise the fic would suck. Then again, what plot twists will happen? Who knows, who cares?

Let's find out! XD

Oh, the English chant? Sorry, I almost forgot! Here it is!

To die is to live

That is our way...

Born in greed,

Raised in hate,

Help us to decide our fate.

Lead us to the golden day;

The world shall bow to our new way.

Out of the darkness and into the sun

Los Illuminados will rise as one.

To die is to live

That is our way...

Yes, I wrote this one on my own. So if you are making your own RE4 fic and need a chant, you can borrow mine but I want the link to your fic, and full credit for this, okay? Thank you.

Anyway, please leave a review. _Please!_ Reviews are what sustain my lifeforce and keep this fic from going bad. And remember the choices you guys have to make for this fic. We're not there yet, but I don't want you to forget either. The choices are on Chapter Twenty One (on , it's Chappy Twenty Two (number wise).)

Chat with ya later!


	27. Island Welcome And Misadventure pt1!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists! That and if I did own it, Chris Redfield would have died in the hands of Wesker a long time ago.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** I am SO sorry for taking so damn long with these updates! You see... the deadly creative slumps and writer's block are acting up again! And due to people **not giving **me **reviews. **Please give me some, they sustain my interest in finishing this fic. Because...I've begun to lose interest. I don't want this fic to die out. I hope you enjoy this chappy and furture ones! Thank you! And I want to give thanks to Zalger248 for helping with this chappy! Give a round of applause for him! Thanks!

**Final Note:** 163 reviews! Wow, that's a lot for just a fic with 26 chappies. _**blushes**_ I didn't know that I'm becoming an idol to some of you. _**smile**_ Thank you, you guys are my idols for being there to read my fic. I would love to thank all of you for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic!

Everyone gets a bottlecap that says: (pokes button) (Rally and Leon sitting w/ Caleb) (together) "Kodak Moment!"

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER! WESKER TOO!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you! May you two continue to bless this fic as I add flavors from both you and me! I shall promise to keep the originality going! And may you help me along the way, if I stray from this promise. Thank you, truly.

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Twenty-Six: Island Welcome and Misadventure pt.1

- Dock

I was able to regain control of myself just as the group of zealots pushed me into the area behind the tower before they slinked back into the secret passage. I looked around and recognized it as the lower level of the area Leon comes out after the fight with Salazar. No one was around so I figured Krauser hadn't shown up yet. Good news for me! I headed straight for the rope and was about to climbed it when the all too familiar, hated voice rang out behind me.

"Tch. So we meet again, you little brat." Krauser's voice hissed, which I noticed was much more closer than I liked. _Aw, shit._ I didn't look back, just quickly scaled the rope in hopes of getting away from him. Krauser laughed harshly, "What was that you said to me earlier? 'Bite me?' Tempting but I think I prefer to-"

I just a few feet off the ground with the rope when I felt his hand grip my ankle tightly. I winced in pain from his vice-like grip then cried out in surprise as he jerked me off the rope with a single tug. Then gasped in shock as the commando turned and swung me downwards.

"-slam you into the ground." he sneered as he did the action. I let out a sharp cry of pain as my body collided with the stone floor. I shivered in pain as I laid limply on the floor, too weak to move, afraid to actually. But feeling vulnerable from how I was laying, I turned to my side and tried to recover. Krauser smirked cruelly as he circled me, looking like a vulture waiting for it's prey to die before feasting. "Not feeling too spunky today, cocky bitch?"

"Not feeling happy today, Jack-ass?" I shot back as the pain eased away, knowing that he as well as Saddler were frustrated with how things were going now.

Big mistake.

Krauser snarled and his foot flew into my stomach in a hard kick. I gasped in pain as the air rushed out my lungs, my body jerking from the impact. I whimpered and curled up reflexively to protect my stomach as tears seeped from my eyes from the pain coursing through me. _Okay... memo to me... no sarcastic remarks around him alone... they tend to bite you back..._

The commando grinned evilly and kicked me again just as hard. I cried out and glared at him weakly from the floor. "Saddler... will be mad... if he sees me... injured..." I growled, trying to keep from going unconscious.

Krauser barked out a laugh as he gave me another swift kick to the gut. "Oh, that old fool? He said to bring you back alive." His smile turned shark-like, "He never said in what condition, though." The commando was about to kick me once more when there was a beep from his pocket. He hesitated, pausing in his attack, unsure if he should answer. The communicator beeped a bit more harshly and faster. Jack Krauser growled as he snatched up the device to answer, clearing his face for a more 'mission' like look.

"Krauser, here."

And the face of Osmund Saddler fuzzed through, giving the commando a stern look. At least I think he was glaring at him. _"Krauser! Where's the girl?"_ he snapped, irritated at his minion's lack of speed. With Krauser's attention away from me for the moment, I took the advantage to crawl as quietly away from him as possible. And since I can't use the rope to get away... I headed for the only way out. The elevator that led to the docks.

Krauser turned away from me, reassuring his 'boss' that everything was fine. "I have the girl, sir. I'm on my way to the island."

Seizing my chance, I quickly crawled the last few inches and entered the elevator. Before leaving, I quickly hid an Incendiary Grenade near the mouth of the door, and looped some left over shirt string to the pin, just in-case. I hoped I had enough line to feed and pushed the button down. To my relief, the elevator decended softly, making no noise whatsoever, letting me escape silently. It was when it neared the end that the elevator shuddered and let out a huge screech as the gears struggled against the rust.

_Aw, shit..._

I heard Krauser curse and his rapid footsteps as he ran toward the doorway. I counted a few seconds before pulling the string. There was a soft explosion and a flash as fire erupted from the grenade and covered the doorway. The commando cried out in surprise and pain as some of the flames lashed out at him. Not waiting to see how well I caught him in my trap, I jumped from the elevator before it touched ground and ran down the dark corridor. It was difficult to do with a bruised body, causing me to stumble as I ran.

I entered the Merchant's shop... correction, the future location for the Merchant's shop. I looked around for a place to hide, or to fight with. Not seeing much to cover me or use to defend, I headed for the door on the other side of the room...

_BAM!_

I froze as I heard Krauser's feet hit the elevator floor. _Shit, there's no time to get to the dock._ I turned to the piles of boxes in the corner and dove for them. I pushed boxes aside, until I got a perfect spot then piled boxes around me to hide. I finished just in time as the commando rushed in, looking around wildly for me. I kept silent, using a trick Leon had taught me in the Castle. I kept my mouth shut and breathed quietly through my nose, refusing to make a sound. I forced myself to take small shallow breaths to calm down as I peeked through the cracks and tiny spaces between the boxes to watch Krauser. And the violent commando was not a happy soldier.

"Where are you, you little bitch?" he snarled as he stormed around the room, throwing things aside in his search for me. I winced and curled up, cowering in my hiding spot. Believe me, I was terrified. I only knew what Leon was doing in the game, it never showed what Ashley went through. I was on my own here and yes, I know Ashley came out fine when Leon found her again on the Island... it still didn't show what happened to her. So I had nothing to reassure me that I wouldn't be half dead by the time I got to the island.

Krauser let out a roar of rage and began to tear into the pile of boxes I hid behind. I froze and cowered even more, trying to make myself as small as possible as I heard boxes being torn or hurled aside. _Please don't find me... Please don't let him find me..._ I resisted to cry in fright as I was suddenly lifted and tossed away as the commando continued his rampage on the pile of boxes. I trembled within the barrel I took shelter in, frightened that while hiding I was making things worse for myself. I didn't care if it ruined the plot, I didn't want to go with Krauser and if I could just hold out for a while, I may not have to...

Wait...something's wrong... The room was too silent for having a raging, supposedly dead commando looking to beat on someone. _Where's Krauser?_ Did he give up? Heh, doubt it if he wants to kill me so much. Perhaps he moved on to the docks in his search for me? Possibly. Considering the fact he didn't know I hid in a barrel, which was a wise thing to do. _Good. While he tears apart the docks, I can go to the elevator and wait for Leon. _Yeah, that's my plan.

I sighed softly in relief.

_Shh-crack!_

I screamed in pain as something suddenly stabbed into my side, just above my left hip. _Agh, what the hell?_ My eyes widen in horror as I heard the commando's voice hiss through the wood. _Oh, shit..._

"There you are, you annoying pain in the ass brat!" Krauser snarled, pushing his combat knife deeper. I wailed louder in pain then let another cry ripple from my throat as he gave the knife a sharp twist to the side. He chuckled viciously as he ripped the blade from my body. I gasped from pained relief that the sharp object was removed then trembled as the barrel I hid in was lifted once more and hurled against something.

The wooden barrel shattered, exposing me to violent commando's enraged gaze. I trembled and shrank in both pain and fear, no longer confident about being alive when Leon found me again. I'd be extremely _lucky_ if Krauser showed me any mercy and from the looks of his grin, I doubt he would do that. I slid my vision to the hallway back to the elevator, wanting to get away from Krauser for as long as possible.

The room we were in shook under the enraged roar of an inhuman beast. _Leon and Salazar are just about to duke it out, if I can keep away long enough..._ Krauser cursed, knowing that the government agent was close by. I bolted for the hallway, not caring that the movement was painful from my beating and stabbing. Unfortunately, Krauser saw me and threw his arm out in front of me.

"Oh, no you don't, you little bitch!" he growled, his attack catching me across the chin, knocking my head back on my neck as he spun and kicked me aside.

I flew to the side and laid sprawled on the floor, weak and defeated. I laid there, dazed and in pain, no longer having the energy to resist now. I was just too tired, I didn't look at him as he grinned evilly at me. But I was surprised that he didn't kill me with that move. Normally, the blows would have either crippled me or killed me outright. I can only guess that he followed my head movement with his arm, cushioning the impact and used the sole of his boot, not the side, to spread the force of the kick.

_Well, that's one merciful gesture... Wait, this is Krauser... Crap, it isn't a blessing... its a curse..._

I opened my eyes a bit and looked at the commando as he grinned again. _Well, this isn't good..._ Krasuer's shark like grin grew as he towered over me, his shadow overlapping my form, cracking his knuckles. _Definitely not good..._

"I'm going to enjoy this." He knelt next me, his evil grin unwavering as his fist flew at me...

* * *

- In the waters close to the Island

The cool sea breeze blew as I stirred awake, my body still in pain and throbbing from my beating. I blinked groggily, staring up at the partly clear, starry sky. I felt a light spray of sea water as the winds rushed by quickly. There was no storm, so why were the winds blowing that fast? I felt that I was top of something hard and I heard a loud _thrum!_ of an engine. It took me a while to realize that I was in the speed boat. And that can only mean one thing.

I was heading to Saddler's Island.

_Asshole knocked me unconscious._ I groaned softly as I shifted in my seat in the back of the speed boat, the left side of my head throbbed with pain and my vision doubled from moving. Krauser laughed as he kept the marine vehicle on course to the last stage of the game. "Finally awake, little bitch?" he sneered.

I scowled weakly at him then spotted a vial of Mixed Herbs in the back pocket of his seat. _Am I just seeing things? _I looked at myself, bloody, torn and seen better days. _I hope not, I need it._ My eyes flickered over to him, watching as I quietly reached for it. I snatched the bottle, popped it open and sprinkled the contents onto my injuries. I shivered a bit as the mixed herbs fizzled and repaired the damage done; tickling just a bit, especially to my side where the stab wound is.

Krauser chuckled again, "So I assume you found the vial?"

I stiffened, staring at the vial.

"I made that and left it there on purpose."

I blanched, turning slightly green before I started wiping the crumbled herbs off my body. Holy crap, _ewwww_! It burns! Get them off! Get them off! Get them **off**! I have Krauser germs on me! I've been contaminated and must be cleansed! I whined and continued to scrape the herbs off. _Okay, note to self. Glomp Leon as much as you can to kill the Krauser germs and Wesker too if he isn't trying to kill you._

"Urgh, I don't see why Wesker even bothered to hire you..." I muttered to myself, flicking the last of herbs off my face.

Another big mistake.

I heard another snarl and I was suddenly slammed against the side of the boat as it swerved to the side. I yelped again and grabbed the edge of the boat in a panic. And the crazed commando was on me, err... on my neck actually, as he gripped it tightly. _Okay, another memo to me. Krauser is no longer human, he's a BOW or plaga thing now... and therefore has heightened senses. Don't mutter around him._

"How do you know about Wesker?" Krauser spat, pressing my neck against the edge of boat. I flailed, scrambling at his arms in a vain attempt get him off. "Answer me!"

I gagged and growled, hating to lie. "L-Leon... said... something about Wesker...!"

Krauser tighten his hold. "How do you know Wesker hired me?"

I breathed heavily, trying to get air into my lungs. "I... just guessed..."

"Is that right?"

"Y-yeah... Saddler never... trusted Americans... so... you had to kidnap... the President's daughter... to gain that trust. But knowing you... you wouldn't have even bothered... doing it... knowing the risks. So then why risk... being discovered by the President... unless someone told you to...? Someone... like Wesker... Isn't that right?"

The commando grinned, "Managed to figure that huh? Good, Leon won't know once your under the plagas' control."

I coughed and gasped when Krasuer released my bruised neck and I glared at him. _High riding bastard. Wesker would kick your ass out of your mouth if he knew that you nearly killed me before the deal was done. _I rubbed my neck and breathed a little more calmly to soothe my burning lungs, still glaring at him. Krasuer smirked as he turned away and maneuvered the speed boat back on course to the island. I sat on the back seat, away from the soldier's reach, and looked out to the dark ocean. I could always just crawl out of the boat and wait for Leon here...

I thought about it, considered actually doing it then remembered one crucial thing.

I'd be dead way before Leon could ever get here.

There was no way I could stay afloat for very long, I would get tired, fall asleep and drown. Besides, there's no telling what could be in these waters. Sharks, plaga controlled sharks... or maybe another Del Lago. Hmm, put up with macho man until I get to the island and passed on to the Militants to be thrown in a cell and possible live? Or slip out of the boat, swim around and likely die from being eaten by whatever swims in the water while waiting for Leon? Island and likely to live, or water and likely to die? Hmm...

Yeah, I'm gonna go with living, so Island it is.

Besides, it keeps the plot flowing.

* * *

- Beachhead Stronghold, Saddler's Island

It took awhile but we got to the Island and docked a small port on the beach, which surprised me since this port was never in the game. Wait... why am I still being surprised? Shit happens that doesn't follow the game anyway. Krauser hauled me out of the boat and dragged me to the beach. There was a group of Militants waiting for us at the end of walkway, no doubt ordered there by Saddler to make sure I got here safely.

Yay.

Krauser shoved me into the arms of a large brute, telling him to hold me as he gave out orders. I recognized the big guy as the Berserker, the fast and strong bastards that are more annoying than scary._ Great, we're off on a promising start._ As King Turd of Shit Mountain issued out his orders on how to deal with Leon, I took a look around the beach. And noticed that it was much bigger than in the game. There was small fort on our left, which is where it's supposed to be, then there's another little open air fort on the other side of the beach.

(A/N: The "King Turd" line from S.D Perry! Love her, she's awesome.)

Why was that there?

I blinked at it, trying to figure out what it was for then gave up after a second, no point in worrying right? Instead I concentrated on what I did know. Several Militants scurried about the beach in a rush to get it secure, hiding in their spots like the stealthy bastards they are. Jayjay, aka the Chaingun Maniac or Gunner, leaped up to the platform near the tower and hid behind the door in waiting for the government agent. How he managed to jump up that high while carrying a underarm chaingun with him, I'll never know, but it's kinda cool.

One soldier climbed to the roof of the first building facing cliffs, and turned on the searchlight, letting it swivel and scan for any intruders. So he was the bastard that turned it on so Leon could get caught. _Heh, thanks. That makes it easier for Leon to kill all of you. _I noticed that there were an extra pair of soldiers on the roofs of the northwest and southeast buildings. _That's odd._

I yelped out in surprise as the Berserker lifted and threw me on his shoulder like a sack of peanuts. I squirmed around in an effort to scramble off and get away. Krauser barked out an order and the Militant tighten his hold on me. I scowled at the supposedly dead commando, then kept my eyes busy by looking at something else. What caught my eye were the mirrors, the very same mirrors that Leon would have to use to open the door and proceed, which meant we were going to leave. And if we were going to leave, that meant the adorable blonde, blue-eyed agent was already here.

Sweet.

The group of islanders in charge of my imprisonment, quickly headed for the door as the two extra soldiers reflected the laser light to the scan disk to let us pass. As I was carried closer to the steps, I suddenly thrashed and screamed to let my hero know where I was.

"Leon, help! I'm over here!" I yelled loudly to get his attention as my prison guard grunted in Spanish for me to shut up. I snapped back at him in the same language, telling him to kiss his ass goodbye. Krauser, on the other hand, looked surprised at the agent's quick arrival to the island and used that as his cue to leave, wanting to remain a secret. I quickly looked toward the cliffs, where Leon would come in from as I was carried up the steps; knowing that he was watching me.

I smiled, knowing that everything was going smoothly and according to plot... until I saw something that made me gawk in shock as the doors closed. _Those extra soldiers! They were...!_

"Hey! Put those mirrors back!" I shrieked angrily, waving my fist at locked doors. _This isn't good. Leon needs those!_ _He needed to know about them! _I raised my voice again, hoping that he could hear me. "Leon! You need to get those mirrors back! They're important!"

There was a loud gunshot and the searchlight was shattered, followed by a brief silence then-

_"Murrahahaha! __Te voy a matar!"_

I scowled as I heard the chaingun rev up and fire rapidly. The Gunner, Jayjay had decided to say 'Hi!' to government agent in his favorite way. _God, how I hate you._ I sighed as I was carried toward the cliff tunnels, getting to closer to my damp and cold cell. What fun. I then remembered that the boulder was going to be pushed at Leon. So to warn him, I pulled out my bandanna and dropped it in the middle of the ground, several steps in front of the entrance to the cliff side tunnels.

I hope he figures it out and not get crushed. _Nah, he'll realize, Leon's smart enough to know to watch his surroundings._

My welcoming committee passed by several other Militants, a few from the group escorting me to my cell passed word of the agent's arrival. Yeah, this is fun. We went up the ladder and entered the next area.

* * *

-Saddler's Complex

I was carried around the cliff side far above the beach. I glanced downward and noticed the gunfight lighting up the beach as we passed. No doubt Leon was having difficulty with Jayjay. I mean who wouldn't? ...Besides Wesker, of course. I looked around as the Militants scattered themselves all over the place in preparation for the American agent. Not that it would matter anyway, these guys don't stand a chance against Leon.

After a few minutes, we arrive at the back door of the complex. Ah, the back door... the real star treatment. Perfect for celebrities and captives of any area. Anyway, I get carried through some halls, threw the finger to the creepy Militant in food storage room because I hated him. He always scared me no matter how many times I played the game. Then passed by the oven in the kitchen as I blinked at it. You know what? I forgot to mention the freak in the oven to Leon... I cracked a grin despite myself. _Leon is so going to freak out when the dude pops out of there._

A few twisting halls later, I arrive at my cell as the Berserker oh-so-kindly dropped me on my ass in the room. Which of course was damp, cold and dirty. But what else can I expect from a cult full of parasites that slept underground for centuries? I grumbled irritably as I stood, glaring at him as he and his crew turned to leave. I gave them a dirty look as I brushed the dust off my creepy popstar outfit. _For their sakes, they better not be checking me out. Damn you Salazar and Ashley for this stupid getup. _

"_Muchas gracias, cabrón._" I growled out as they locked the door, then which the Berserker snarled at me. I glared and snarled back. "_Qué carajo miras? Lárgate!_" (Thanks a lot, bastard., What the hell are you looking at? Get out of here! A/N: My Spanish sucks, so bear with me, okay?)

The Militants growled and glared at me, at which I only replied by giving them the finger and telling them to fuck off. The soldiers sneered at me then left to do their duties and stop Leon from coming to rescue me. _Heh, good luck on that, dumbasses!_ I turned away from the door and looked around. Still the same as in the game. A small barred window on my left, a table hidden behind a pile of boxes and crates to my right, and dirty, dark gray walls surrounding me.

Home sweet cell.

Water dripped into a puddle from a crack on the ceiling as I walked around my cell in an effort to keep myself busy. I know I could always do something else besides walking around in a circle. Like sleeping, which I won't do because I don't feel secure enough to do that. Or count how many soldiers that pass my cell, which got boring after a while. So there wasn't much to do other than walk... or was there? I thought about it. Yeah, there had to be something else besides moving around like a Hamster at the wheel. _I could always sing..._

True and it was better than looking like an idiot. Plus, walking around in a mindless circle was about as much fun as watching grass grow. Which sadly, and I'm being sarcastic here, there was none for that fun activity. _Yeah, let's go with that._

(A/N: _Let You Down_ by Three Days Grace. At least a portion of the song.)

_"Trust me... There's no need to fear. Everyone's here, waiting for you to finally be one of us. Come down, you may be full of fear but you'll be safe here." _I sang softly, picturing what happened to me in the ritual. _"When you finally trust me, finally believe in me. I will let you down... I'll let you down... I'll... When you finally trust me, finally believe in me..."_

Yeah, like I'll ever believe in this cult? They're freaking crazy. I don't know what they been sniffing but they're high on themselves. Hmm, kinda like how Umbrella was before it crumbled. Ninety-nine percent crack and one percent T-Virus. Or in this case, ninety-nine percent Las Plagas and one percent proven insanity. _Hey, Saddler, if you can hear me... Listen to me, I have advice for you... Put your head between your knees and kiss your ass goodbye, you crazy religious bitch. This plan of yours won't work. Trust me. _Heh, trust me.

_"Trust me, I'll be there when you need me... You'll be safe here. When you finally trust me, finally believe in me... I will let you down... I'll let you down... I'll..."_ I continued, my head bobbing to the silent music that played in my head. Huh, odd. I was picturing the ritual when something else popped up in my head, it was a bit blurry... Wonder what that is? _"When you finally trust me, finally believe in me..."_

_"I will let you down..."_ purred a dark voice that drifted into my cell.

Startled, I thought it was Leon but it clicked to me that the agent didn't have that kind of tone. It was too dark for someone of his personality. It was someone else I knew. I turned to look and stood in surprise at who was at cell door. "Wesker?"

Albert Wesker stood on the other side of the door, watching me. He didn't answer right a way, seemingly staring out into space in his own little dark world. _I wonder what kind of dark world it is...? Gah! Stop it! Bad thoughts, bad fangirl thoughts! Leave me alone, evil imaginations! Wesker will snap my neck if he knew I was thinking this! _

"I'm fond of the line, I really am. _When you finally trust me, finally believe in me... I will let you down..._" he murmured to himself, testing the line out before looking directly at me. "And trust me on that, dear heart. I _will _let you down, if you truly trust me and I find you expendable."

_Uh... thanks for the heads up, Wesker... That makes me feel all better. _

"Uh, okay." I muttered, suddenly feeling vulnerable without Leon with me. Either the vulnerability was from my fear of being within Wesker's presence by myself; odd since I've done so before twice. Or it was because I'm within his presence, alone and in an outfit that barely covered me with my fangirl thoughts and hormones demanding I tackle Wesker. Uh... I think I'll go with the former... _Yeah, that'll be wise._

Wesker looked at the cell door that trapped me in the room and I sighed as I watched him study it. "Wesker, you shouldn't be here. Really. Leon will arrive shortly, so I suggest you leave before he sees you." The Resident Evil villain continued to ignore me and I scowled. "Seriously, Wesker. Leave, the door will only open if-"

_Mmurrrrrr...tink!_

Wesker jerked the cell door open, going slow so is to not alert the Militants in the next room. I blinked in disbelief. "-you have the keycard... o-kay... that works too."

He set it aside and motioned me to follow, gazing down the hall in case an enemy decided to show up. I took a step forward then froze, feeling confused and torn. If I went with Wesker, I could be set free early and be able to look for Leon but... If I stayed here, like I'm supposed to, Leon would rescue me and we could continue as normal like in the game.

"Come along, Ms. Nightshade. We have to go." Wesker said, casting a glance at me, wondering why I was taking so damn long to walk three feet. I continued to stand there and trying to figure out what to do when he decided for me. He strode into the room, grabbed my wrist and proceeded to drag me out, which snapped me out of my troubled thoughts. I stiffened and growled, pulling back to wrench free of Wesker's grasp. Obviously, I was no match for his superior strength as he was able to drag me behind him anyway.

"Wesker, what are you doing? Let go of me!" I hissed, digging my popstar shoe heels on the pavement to stay put. Or at least trying to stay put, seeing as I was still moving even though I'm still standing upright.

"Please don't make me repeat myself, Ms. Nightshade." Wesker growled slightly, "I don't have the paitence to do so."

He suddenly stiffened and looked down the hall, hearing the two footsteps coming toward my cell. _Oh, Leon's close to the monitor station! _I turned and looked at the camera perched in the corner of the room, watching the door and my eyes widen in surprise. _And if either see Wesker-!_ I turned back in time to see the sexy human BOW aim his handgun with its silencer down the hall, waiting for the two to show up and kill them. I reached out, grasped his arm and hissed.

"Don't. Leon will see you."

Wesker remained where he was, keeping his weapon trained at a single spot in the air. I growled, tugging him back. "I'm serious, Wesker. If Leon sees you, he'll destroy every Plaga sample there is before you even have a chance to see one."

The BOW growled, looking over his shoulder and narrowing his fiery eyes at me; as if he was daring me to challenge his judgment again. I shrank a little from his gaze but my glare never wavered; silently telling him that if his plan was to even have chance to work... he better listen. Wesker continued to glare at me, but finally relented when he released my wrist and lowered his weapon. I sighed in relief as he swiftly moved to hide from view of both the agent's eyes and the two Militants that stared at the broken door before them.

I looked at them in surprise and shrank again when they lifted their gaze to me in anger. I could tell that they thought I did it and that I was trying to escape. _Okay, showtime. _I backed away from them, calling out Leon's name in "hopes" of him hearing me. One soldier growled and stalked toward me before shoving me back. I stumbled, slipped on the puddle and fell back hard. I shivered in fear and scooted backward slowly; as the other circled behind me, watching and laughing at me as he went around near the switch box on the wall.

I trembled a bit in show of being intimidated as I slid my vision to the camera watching us. The soldier in front of me stiffened when he caught my glance then looked at the camera. After a few seconds of staring at it, he growled and told his companion to shut it off. The other soldier nodded and proceeded to flip the switches and then press a red button that cut of the video and audio feed of the camera, that was no doubt being viewed by Leon.

Then Sir Shove-a-lot told him to stay with me while he goes and gets a few men to ambush the American agent. Again, the soldier nodded as the first one rushed out of the room. I sighed in relief. Well, at least Wesker wouldn't be able to drag me with this guy in the same cell as me.

I couldn't be more wrong...

There was a soft _tick!_ and the Militant's head exploded in a shower of blood, gore and brain matter. I whirled around in shock as the headless body staggered a bit then slumped forward, crimson fluid pumping from... what was left of his neck. I turned to see Wesker emerge from behind the pile of boxes that hid the table, the end of his silenced handgun smoking.

"Wesker! Why'd you go and do that for!" I hissed angrily as Wesker calmly checked his clip as he moved to the door. The human BOW motioned for me to follow him as he continued moving; pushing his clip back into his gun, seeing that it was still good to use.

"But..." I stood rooted to my spot, confused to what was going on. _Am I being saved by Wesker? Wasn't I supposed to be rescued by Leon? _Wesker frowned slightly as he looked over his shoulder and gave me single glare.

"**Now.**" he growled softly, but held a commanding tone. Damn, just how every fangirl of his likes. I blushed slightly as I became silent and followed him, struggling with my inner fangirl to not just glomp the sexy bastard from behind. _Damn you Wesker! Must you be so desirable? And don't use that tone of voice! It's a neon sign for all fangirls to go nuts and pounce on you!_

Wesker began walking the way I came into the complex, he was going to the back door. I can only guess he chose it because it was much closer and easier to access. _But..._ I paused and looked down the hall. _That's path Leon will use to get here... we'll bump into him that way..._

I hesitated a bit before I reached out and stopped the former STARS member. "Wesker... wait..."

Wesker stiffened at my touch and growled slightly. "What is it _now_, Ms. Nightshade?"

I twitched from his tone and shrank again. "Um...well..."

"Ms. Nightshade." Wesker gave me a slight glare, his expression basically telling me to hurry up and tell him what I wanted to say. And I knew I was already getting on his nerves. _Yeah, you don't want to get on his bad side, Rally... just say it._

I gulped a bit. "Um, Leon's coming from there. If we go that way, we'll run into Leon..."

"Is that all?"

"Uh, yes. You don't want Leon to know you're here, don't you? That'll risk your plan, wouldn't it?"

A smile spread across Wesker's face. An icy smile. "If he lives it would."

I blinked. _He's not going to do what I think he's going to do... is he?_

"I can take care of him easily."

My eyes widen in shock. _Oh, no! He's going to kill Leon when we bump into him! Come on, think of something! Hurry!_ "W-wait! You can't do that!"

Wesker turned to me. "Oh? Enlighten me as to why I can't."

"Um... Well... Instead of killing him..." I stammered, still trying to come up with something to avoid Leon and avert his untimely death. Wesker crossed his arms over his broad chest and tapped his fingers on one of his arms, a brow raised in question. "...you can...use him?"

"Use him?" Wesker murmured curiously, inclining his head in thought, "Use him...hmmm..." He thought about it, taking the words and possible plan and weighting his options. _Please use that plan, the plan where we avoid Leon and you don't have to kill him..._

Another dark smile formed on his face, looking to all the world like a scheming cat. Since well... he kinda acts cattish... with his presence and such. Anyway, he smiled and looked at me. "Ah..." he chuckled darkly, "I think you're on to something, dear heart. That's an excellent plan."

I smiled unsurely as Wesker turned and began walking to the door Leon would have to go through in search of the key-card to open my cell. "We'll go ahead and let Kennedy run amok in search for you. He'll be our decoy as we find a way out of here."

"Ah...yeah... about that... why don't you take that plan to effect and go ahead. While I just stay here and wait for him to show up and we'll both be your decoys?" I tried.

Wesker glared at me, "Apologizes, dear heart, but you know I can't let you frolic with Mr. Kennedy until I get what I want from you."

I automatically blushed from what he said. I knew what he wanted, the "source" of where I got my knowhow of all the things that happened over the course of "six years". But my hormones and fangirl thoughts had thought differently. _Damn these thoughts! It's __**not**__ what he wanted from me! Bad, evil, naughty_ _fangirl thoughts!_ _Get out of my head!_

I glanced at the door leading to the Administration Corridor and frowned slightly. If my memory serves me right... that way was a dead end, we'll be cornered and Leon will find us there. So question is... where do we go to avoid Leon? Perhaps there was a door that was never in the game we could use... where would it lead? It wouldn't matter as long as I could keep both Wesker and Leon from meeting too early. Not exactly easy, when someone is running around _looking_ for you. Hmm...

Wesker opened the door and we passed through...

* * *

-Administration Corridor

I placed a hand over my face as Wesker strolled into the room as if he owned it. His confindence was the same as always as he quickly dispatched the wave of enemies with his handgun and bare hands. For some strange reason, Krauser had saw fit to leave my attache case with me. Why? I have no clue, but I'm glad he did as I ran around collecting ammo to keep. As fast as Wesker killed them, more appeared to take their place. I had to use the combat knife I still had to fight a few of the Militants myself.

Another wave of islanders entered the hall from a hidden door and Wesker growled in anger as he ejected the spent clip and slapped in a fresh one to his gun. It was obvious that he was getting annoyed by them. Hey, who wouldn't? I pointed out the smallre hall at the end of the corridor and told him that we had to go that way. He merely nodded in acknowledgement and fired his Killer 7 at one Berserker, the large enemy's head popping off like a cork after a loud _Bang!_ He quickly turned from it and fired on another enemy, trying to clear a path to the door.

A Militant dove at him with a shock stick, trying to hit him from behind. Wesker sensed him, moved to the left, grabbed the enemy's arm with his left hand and pulled him forward then slamed his right elbow into the Militant's face. There were two loud _cracks!_ from the blow. One from the nose being broken and the other was his neck when the islander's head snapped back violently, breaking the bone. Wesker tossed him aside and fired the Killer 7 once more at the relentless Militants, killing a few in row from a single bullet that pierced them through them. I was able to snatch up a couple of grenades and used them to get them away from us. But they just kept coming.

"Quickly, go for the door!" Wesker ordered and fired another shot at a Berserker, the round nicking it's shoulder pad when the BOW turned to dash for the exit. I followed suit after I tossed a Flash Grenade into the group of Plaga members. We passed through the door and out of sight.

* * *

- Research Labs

Wesker quickly jammed the door to keep the Militants out once they recovered from the flash. I sighed and leaned againt the door for a quick rest. That had been an intense forty-five minutes of our lives...uh... sort of. I still think the most intense minutes of my life was the nightmare run in with the Armaduras in the Servants' Quarters. I shuddered at the thought. _Ugh, I don't want to go through that again..._

Wesker straightened out his business-like jacket, frowning at some of the tears on it. He brushed some dust off of it and stepped forward, his way of saying 'Let's go.' But once he took a look around the room, he noticed that we were in the Research Labs and paused in his steps. Instead, he turned away from the door leading further in and picked up a few files, flipping them open and reading them for a second.

I blinked in confusion. Did he already had information about the Las Plagas? And all he needed was just some samples to make whatever his plan is to work? I guess that he may still want a bit more information to see if the Las Plagas were worth the trouble of getting. I glanced at the file he was reading and my eyes widen in surprise. Printed neatly across the center of the vanilla file was the word _'Regenerator'_.

Wesker smirked lightly as he closed the file and placed it into his own attache case. Does everyone around here carry one these days? He picked a few more files and tucked them in to read for later, once he was able to leave the island. But one file caught his eye, he picked up and looked at the front of it. I looked at it too and gulped silently at the name printed across from it.

_'Iron Maiden'._

"This looks interesting." he mused to himself then stiffened as he placed the file into his case and closed it quietly. He looked toward the door leading deeper into the lab.

_"Hhhhrrrreee...hhrrrreeee..."_

The harsh, loud breathing penerated through the metal door. It sounded if it was trying to breathe and giggle at the same time and having a hard time doing so. Wesker didn't make a sound as he backed away from the door, wanting to know what it he's going to fight before striking. Wise choice since I know exactly what we're facing.

_"Hhhrrreeeee... hhhrrrrrrreeeeee..."_

The breathing got louder as whatever the belonged to it drew closer to the door. I let out a soft whimper in dismay. _Oohhh, why did it have to be that? Of all things there was, why that? _Wesker glanced at me as the breathing got louder and from his expression... He wanted to know what it was that I was thinking. Should I tell him?

_"Hhhhhrreeeee...Hhhrrreeeeee..."_

The door to the lab slid open and in stepped the most horrific-looking creature there was. It was large, blind and a disgusting brownish color; it's long arms, ending with curved claws, brushed against its ankles as it staggered into the room. The body twitched and jerked awkwardly as it walked as if it was in a constant state of pain. And why shouldn't it? A large number of needles were jutting from it's body, the spikes catching the low lights and pushing its creepy look to a new level. I whimpered again, it was one of the most annoying but scary creatures of the game.

_"Hhhrrreeee... hhrrreeee..."_

The Iron Maiden.

* * *

- Research Labs

Wesker blinked at the creature, intrigued by it as it stepped closer. He was cautious but I knew the scientist in him wanted to study the creature and see what made it tick. As for me, I wasn't interested in what makes it tick, I wanted to just be away from it. The Iron Maiden took another awkward step forward, still breathing in that famously creepy way. Just hearing it was making my skin crawl.

I grabbed Wesker's arm and pulled him to the side and around the horrific experiment to get to the lab door. It's spikes suddenly extended, trying to stop us from going around it. Wesker dodged it and it growled in dissatisfaction, turning to follow us. We escaped into the lab, Wesker looking back at it to study it a bit more.

"What is that?" he asked as we darted around fallen debris and looking for a door to disappear through. I sighed as in annoyance as I picked up a grenade and chucked it at the spike riddled Regenerator. It staggered back from the resulting small explosion but shrugged it off and continued it jerky journey to get us.

"It's an Iron Maiden."

"Interesting."

"_'Interesting?' _That ain't interesting, that's seven kinds of fucking creepy!"

"Why, dear heart, would you say that?"

"Are you blind? Look at it!" Wesker did and the Iron Maiden lashed out with it arms, extending them to reach us. "Look out!"

I pushed him aside and cried out in fright as the maiden's clawed hands snatched at my arms. It hissed in glee, jerking me toward it's body for a closer attack. I wailed and thrashed to escape its grasp, scrambling at the tables and equipment to stop the movement. It hissed again, the spikes extending and contracting in excitement as it pulled me closer in preparation for the impalement.

_**Bang!**_

_**Bang!**_

I cried out in shock as the Iron's Maiden's arms blew apart, the rounds shattering the limbs and allowing me to escape. I scrambled away, frighten by the experience and hid behind Wesker. Then I yelped in disgust when I looked at my arms for injuries and saw that the hands of the creature still clung to me. I pried them off and chucked them away. Wesker smirked slightly as the Iron Maiden staggered from the rounds and armless.

_**Bang!**_

Wesker fired once more, blowing its head apart in a shower of nameless fluids and blood. The body stumbled back, headless as Wesker chuckled darkly. I shuddered, rubbing my arms in hoping to wipe off the feeling of the monster's hands. "You see? You worry too much. It wasn't-"

_Don't bet you won, Wesky._

The body suddenly straightened itself out and in another shower of whatever liquid it had, the head and arms of the Iron Maiden grew back. Wesker's eyes widen in surprise at the regeneration speed. "-a challenge..." he trailed off, both shock and interest sparkled in his fiery eyes. Oh, yeah, Wesker's liking what the plagas can do.

The Iron Maiden hissed again, its body expanded a bit before contracting again, the spikes pushing out a bit before it fired them at us. My eyes widen in horrifying shock at the attack. Holy shit! That's new!

"Duck and cover!" I yelled as we jumped behind a pile of sturdy metal junk as a shower of needles flew everywhere. There were a lot of _dings!_ as the needles bounced off the walls, a few sticking into them as the rest shattered glass and piercing other random junk.

Once the spike storm was over, I peeked over the metal desk and stared at it. It wasn't supposed to do that! Iron Maidens aren't capable to... oh, who am I kidding? The whole thing didn't make sense. Why bother questioning it? ..._Because it helps keep me sane, that's why._ The spiky creature extended its arms again, reaching for me. I quickly ducked behind the desk again with Wesker, hoping that it wouldn't get me.

Instead, the Iron Maiden's hands latched onto the desk and tore it away, tossing the object to one side and lurched forward again, trying to get closer. Wesker fired his handgun at it and the Iron Maiden ignored the shots, jerking its way toward us with each lurching step. After reaching a certain distance, it extended its arms once more, clutching Wesker by his shoulders, and the human BOW let out a small gasp of surprise by the creature's strength as he was yanked toward it.

"Wesker!" I yelped out in surprise then quickly grabbed an Incendiary Grenade. Wesker growled and grasped the maiden's wrists to pull them away, growling through the pain of the spikes piercing his palms. I threw the red little grenade, hoping that the pain of the flames would be enough to free Wesker, who continued to struggle for freedom. The tiny bomb hit the ground at the Iron Maiden's feet and flames erupted on it. It howled and released Wesker, flailing in irritation by the fire.

Wesker jumped back from the fire and ignoring his injuries, pulled out his Killer 7 and fired again, blowing one of it's arms off. The Iron Maiden jerked from the impact and snarled, the arm regenerating again on its body. Wesker scowled and fired again, taking out a large chunk of flesh from its side as annoying creature expanded its body.

"Fuck it! Run!" I yelled, seeing what it was up to. I grabbed Wesker's arm and dragged him with me as I bolted to door that led to the Communications Tower.

_"Hhhrreeee...hrrreeeee..."_

It's body contracted and...

_Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding!_

The storm of needles came again, shattering more glass and flying every which way. We ducked and ran to the door, desperate to get out. Or at least I was, I think Wesker wanted to stay and kill it for pissing him off. A few of the needles grazed us as we kept moving, but we were able to reach door and escape outside, safe for the time being.

And in the distance, several gunshots were fired as well as a faint shout.

"Rally! Where are you?"

* * *

- Communications Tower Exterior

I let out a sigh of relief as I leaned against the door and calmed my breathing again while Wesker jammed the door with a piece of metal he broke off from the rails. I sighed and looked at the various small cuts the needles were able to inflict. They stung but otherwise bearable. I'm just glad none were enough to tear open this stupid bra of a shirt I had. I felt out of place with this damn outfit. Damn you, Salazar! _I'm not Britney Spears! And I sure as hell ain't Popstar Barbie!_

"I look stupid. I need a new outfit," I murmured to myself. "In fact, I want my combat outfit back." Again, memo to me, Wesker's a BOW! He can still hear you!

Wesker glanced at me then at my outfit before looking at my face again. "Indeed you do. You look ridiculous in that."

I scowled, "Well, thank you very much, Wesker. Every girl just loves to know they look like a hooker in whatever they wear." I did a fake thumb's up, "You just boosted my self-confidence a hundred percent."

He gave me a bland expression. "Don't test me, Ms. Nightshade. I didn't say you looked like a hooker, I was merely agreeing you with what you said to yourself."

I scowled again, hands on my hips. Damn, he got me. I glanced downward at his hands and noticed that they were injured, blood dipping slowly from the holes in his black gloves. I quickly took out my attache case and picked up a vial of red and green herbs, suddenly intent of healing his hands. I guess the nurse in me, which I developed while being with Leon and healing him during our time together, took over.

"Hey, let me heal you." I said, taking one of his hands to see it better. Wesker scowled and snatched his hand back, refusing my help. _Very stubborn, aren't you Wesky?_

"I rather you didn't. We need to keep moving."

"Your hands are swelling up. You need first aid."

"No, I don't. Now would you be so kind as to put that away and walk?"

"Would you be so kind as to stop being stubborn and let me heal you?

"No."

I frowned and suddenly jabbed my finger against his palm. I didn't dig my nail into his hand, but merely pressed against his wound hard. And everyone knows if you press hard on any swollen area... it'll hurt. Badly. Wesker growled in anger, hiding his pain as I watched his face closely. Without his shades, it's easy to see his expressions. And there was a slight twitch of pain on his face, it was brief and barely noticeable but it was there and I saw it.

"Aha! You see? It hurts and you are in pain! You need healing!" I accused, glaring at him, refusing to shrink at his fiery glare for now, "Now stop being an ass and let me heal your injuries!"

Wesker mirrored my glare, "If I do, will you stop talking?"

"More or less, yes, I would."

We stared at each for a bit, silent as the winds that blew around the walkway that led to the red radio tower. For a full five minutes, we just stood there, Wesker donning his calm demeanor and business-like expression on his face. It still fasinated me on how he could show very little emotion and keep a cool head even if the situation is bad for him. How does he do it? I must know. After another full minute, Wesker sighed.

"Fine." he relented, pulling his black gloves off quickly and carefully, showing his hands to me. I smiled, happy to know I was able to prevail against his inflexible nature.

I looked at his hands and winced. They were indeed swelling, not as bad as I thought but still it was bad. It would hurt like hell if he tried to hold and fire any gun with his swollen hands. There were tiny pricks dotting his palms and middle fingers from grabbing the Iron Maiden's wrists, and blood trickled lightly from the holes. But it wasn't enough to relief the extra blood trapped in his hands from broken blood vessels, which led to the swelling.

I popped the cork from the vial of herbs and shook some of it onto my palm. I then proceeded to sprinkle the torn bits on his injuries. Wesker refused to to make a sound as the wounds began to fizzle and sting as the herbs started to heal and kill the bacteria that was no doubt invading his body. I smirked to myself, the herbs did hurt Wesker but he was still holding onto his 'nothing can touch me' face. It was cute really, but there was no way I was going to tell Wesker that.

After the herbs did their job, Wesker shook his hands free of the leaves, noting that the swelling was gone. I packed the still mostly full vial into my case and we proceeded to the tower. We entered the elevator and rode it upward to the catwalk that went around the control room. Once we got to the top, we left the elevator and Wesker looked around, staring back at the building we just came out of. Why? I don't know.

As we walked on the catwalk to the control room, I glanced at blond BOW, who kept studying the structures around us. "Um, Wesker, you **do** know that there's no where else to go from here, right? Leon's gonna see us soon."

The former STARS member continued to study the area around him then stared at the complex again. A slow smile formed on his face. "Normally, you would be right but-"

Suddenly, Wesker curled an arm around my waist and pulled me close to him a second before he made us both jump from the catwalk. Startled, I cried out in fright as we fell, curling closer to Wesker as if hoping he would keep me from dying. We hit something hard, stopping for a brief second before moving back upwards in a jump. Wesker made two more jumps before we landed on the roof of the tower.

"I don't escape by normal means anymore." I blinked in confusion when I uncurled from him and stood on the roof and looked around. I shivered from the adrenaline rush of the fall. Then I turned and glared at Wesker, my hands on my hips again.

"Wesker! Don't do that! You scared me!"

"Why?"

"_'Why?'_ I thought you were going to kill us both!"

Wesker smirked, "Or did you keep in mind that you weren't to trust me and thought I was going to kill you instead?"

I scowled at him. _Okay, maybe I was thinking that. You can't blame me, he said himself back at the Containment Corridor._ "Whatever! What are we doing here on the roof of the tower?"

Wesker didn't answer but nodded to the complex we had just left were going back the way we came. I blinked in would we go back if we just left from there? What was the point? But then I looked at the building in a different way, how he saw it. I looked at the building then looked to the sides and saw what he meant. In the space between the Saddler's Complex and the Communications Tower, there were two red bridge frames that held the walkway to the tower suspended.

Oh! We were going to use the bridge frames as a stepping stone to reach the roof of the building. Cool. But I was still unsure about it. Can I trust Wesker? I mean, if I start to believe in him, he would let me down when I least expect it. I mentally sighed, _Well, seeing as I'm on the roof... I don't have much of a choice. Just show that you still don't trust him._

"Do you understand now?" Wesker asked, looking at the bridge frames, studying them again.

I sighed, "Yeah, I get it."

"Ready?"

"As if I had choice."

Wesker smirked, "That's true. You don't."

I sighed again as I walked over to him and allowed him to pick me up bridal style. I wound my arms around his neck loosely as he backed up a bit then dashed forward. He leaped toward the right bridge frame, landed perfectly on the top beam then dashed along it. I blushed as I huddled against him a bit more as I listened to the soft metal taps of his feet hitting against the I-Beam as he ran across. It felt really cool as we leaped through the air to the roof of the building. For the those few seconds of being in the air, I felt like I was flying. Flying with ultra, super, awesome, sexy, badass Wesker!

But the thrill was over too soon for me as we hit the pavement of the roof. I inwardly puffed my cheeks as Wesker put me down on my feet. _Aww..._ I pulled my arms back from his neck and looked around, everything looked so different from this height. I could see the whole island and it look as it was a tiny play-set for some kid that watched one too many action movies. It was cool.

Wesker began moving to the back of the building and I followed, still feeling kinda good about the brief flying time I had. As we moved, I mentally kept track of room we over, we heard gunshots below us. No doubt Leon, fighting enemies in his search for me. I lowered my eyes, there had to be a way to reunite with Leon but to do that I had to escape Wesker. But part of me didn't want to. _Damn Capcom for making both men so damn sexy and fun to be around._

And after walking over the Containment Corridor and "entering" the Waste Disposal Area, things got annoying.

"Ahí!"

We both stiffened and looked ahead. Several Militants appeared from a roof access door and blocked our path.

"No dejen que se escape!"

Wesker didn't let the leader issue out anymore orders as he just up and shot the guy with his handgun and silencer. While it was funny to me, it kinda pissed off the other soldiers. They fired flaming arrows at us and the rest dashed at us with shock sticks and maces, and whatever else they grabbed on their way to us.

I tossed a box of handgun ammo to Wesker, who slapped in a fresh clip to his gun and started capping enemies left and right. I, on the other hand, grabbed a handful of grenades and began chucking them at the crossbow wielding idiots that just stood there and stared at the grenades. And whenever it seemed as if Wesker was being overwhelmed I tossed a Flash grenade in his direction and made it easer for him to dash around and crack skulls with his hands or legs. I kept the long range enemies busy with normal and Incendiary grenades, watching them either go flying over the edges or run around while burning alive.

It was all good until I ran to Wesker to give him another box of ammo and that's when one of the Militants appeared with a Rocket Launcher in his hands. He aimed it at us and grinned. Wesker quickly fired several shots at the enemy's direction, hitting his legs and I threw in a Flash and that's where it went bad.

The Militant cried out in pain from the bullets and the blinding flash, but had still remembered to pull trigger of his launcher. It shot forward and Wesker pulled me close to him to protect me. But... the angle for the rocket was awkward and it didn't hit us directly. Instead, it hit the ground before us and began to crack. I suddenly felt weight pushing on me and I looked up and saw that the blast had dazed Wesker enough for him to slump against me.

They section of roof we were on continued to fracture and I knew it was no use of trying to run. I sighed mentally as I held Wesker closer to me. _Oh, man... this is bad... and it's going to hurt, no two ways about it. _

The small section of the roof shifted then collapsed with us still on it...

* * *

FINALLY! WHOOT! I finally finished this chappy! OMG! I am SO sorry for taking forever! But there it is! I hoped you enjoyed it! Wasn't it cool at least?

I woukd like to thank anyone and everyone who waited so paitently for these updates! I love you all! You're an Authoress' best friend!

Anyway, you know the drill! R & R please!

Chat with ya later!


	28. Misadventure pt2 and Reunion

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Resident Evil...and I've just lost two seconds of my life that I'll never get back. Now leave alone you mind-sucking perfectionists! That and if I did own it, Chris Redfield would have died in the hands of Wesker a long time ago.

**Authoress' Note: (Please READ)** I am SO sorry for taking so damn long with these updates! You see... the deadly creative slumps and writer's block are acting up again! I hope you enjoy this chappy and future ones! Thank you!

**Final Note:** 185 reviews! Wow, that's a lot for just a fic with 27 chappies. _**blushes**_ I didn't know that I'm becoming an idol to some of you. _**smile**_ Thank you, you guys are my idols for being there to read my fic. I would love to thank all of you for your lovely reviews and suggestions for this fic! (I'll be using some info from a certain game that came long after this game. You'll know when you read it, unless you can guess what it is.)

Everyone gets a bottlecap that says:_**pokes button **__Wesker with an irritated look_ "Don't test me Ms. Nightshade."

RESIDENT EVIL AND LEON FOREVER! WESKER TOO!

1wingangel and Nicole this fic is for you! May you two continue to bless this fic as I add flavors from both you and me! I shall promise to keep the originality going! And may you help me along the way, if I stray from this promise. Thank you, truly.

* * *

Resident Evil 4: A Fangirl's Dream Come True!

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Misadventure pt.2 and Reunion

- Waste Disposal Area

I moaned softly as my mind finally decided to rejoin the waking world, much to my own discomfort and pain. My eyes opened to inky darkness and I was confused about it. Am I still unconscious or awake? Dust tickled my nose, causing me to cough a little and sneeze; only then did I realize that I was awake. Recollections of what happened earlier floated lazily in my mind's eye and I quickly snatched at them to recap._ Okay, let's see... I'm at the island, Leon's on his way to rescue me and Wesker busted me out first. Fast forward to what's happening now._ _Let's see... Leon's looking around like crazy to find me while I'm playing side quest adventure with Wesker. Yay. We fought some Militants, one was carrying a rocket launcher and it went boom. And..._

I heard some coughing off to my side... though I couldn't tell which side, so I looked around, momentarily forgetting that I couldn't see much. I felt something brush my side and I nearly screamed, the sound of it would have carried if something hadn't clamped itself over my mouth. My hand flew up to pry it off, only to realize that it was a hand too, a gloved hand. And only one person wore full fingered gloves...

"Shh... don't scream..." Wesker's eyes glowed softly from the depths of the shadows of the tiny little cave that luckly formed around us. By then my eyes had adjusted to the darkness and I could more or less see Wesker on my right. He still looked dazed from the rocket blast but otherwise was fine... at least I hoped so. _Ah, that's right. We're buried under the some of the ceiling..._

The human BOW tilted his head and narrowed his eyes slightly as if listening to something. I couldn't hear it for a while but after a few seconds, I hear muffled talking... somewhere above us. I strained my ears to listen but didn't hear much, catching a few words here and there that didn't pull together to form a full sentence. So I gave up on listening in favor of looking around where we were. The cave we were trapped in was fairly small, a big piece of slab forming the roof of the cave. We were extremely lucky to not have been crushed when part of the ceiling collapsed. A child sized tunnel was stretched out to our...-um, north?- that allowed air to flow into our little cave. It was far too small to crawl through but at least we have air to breathe.

The faint voices got closer and I looked toward Wesker to see what he was up to. The human BOW pressed his hands against the slab that sat above us and looked as if he was judging it. The voices grew louder and from the sounds of it, one of the Militants was ordering the others to search the rubble for me. _Well, at least they sound concerned for me. But then again, they were looking for me to complete Saddler's insane plan. Fuck that shit, I rather be held hostage by Wesker for his plan. At least he makes it interesting._

Wesker shifted slightly, kneeling below the slab of cement awkwardly and listened carefully. The Militants were drawing closer to our location from the sounds of their voices and the leader of them was closer to us still. After a few moments of waiting, a slow, dark smile formed on Wesker's handsome face. I cocked my head in confusion at the dangerous smile. What is Wesker thinking?

The notorious villain suddenly rose to his feet, gritting his teeth as he lifted the heavy slab to a certain height; as screams and cries of surprise erupted among the Militants there, startled by what was going on. As powerful as Wesker is, even he will have a hard time lifting something that heavy over his head like Superman. But I knew he wasn't doing it for attention, nor to just stand up and say, 'Hey, look at what I can do!' He was doing it to get the hell out of here. He lowered the slab at an angle in front of him and kept it propped up with one hand. I quickly stood as he panted from exerting himself by the power-lift. Whether he liked it or not, even Wesker had his limits.

While the Militants were still shocked and disoriented from what was going on, Wesker balled his right hand into a fist, pulled his arm back and...

_WHAM!_

The slab flew back from the Thrust Punch, slamming into other Militants, including the leader, and crushing them against the wall across the garbage dump. The cement slab shattered upon hitting the wall and I just stood there in awe. _That was __**totally**__ awesome! He just thrust punched it! Such perfection! Go Thrust Punch!_

"Ms. Nightshade, run quickly!" Wesker suddenly snapped and I jerked back to reality and saw that the Militants had recovered and one was going to hit me with a shock stick. I quickly snatched up some dust from rubble and threw it into the solider's face, darting away from it. The plaga militant snarled in pain as he reflexively covered his eyes to rub the dust from his face. Wesker leaped in and thrust punched him into the concrete wall.

The other live soldiers charged after us and I grabbed Wesker's arm and tugged him to the ladder to the second level of the room. Wesker growled but knew it was best to run for your life at times like this, much to his distaste. The rubble had piled up high enough next to the ladder to reach the second level. I scrambled over it, Wesker merely jumped to it and we both bolted through the door. We barged through the other door and ran down the hall that led to the Stairwell Corridor.

* * *

-Stairwell Corridor

We entered the room and quickly but quietly made our way down the narrow passage, not wanting to attract unwanted attention if anyone was here. I peeked around the corner and gazed down the next hall and saw no one at least for now. Wesker peeked around the corner as well for a few seconds then walked out, heading toward the door somewhere up ahead. I scowled at him but followed his lead, knowing that we didn't have much time or the element of surprise to be sneaking around.

I sighed as I sprinted alongside the human BOW, "You know, we wouldn't be in this situation if you had left me in my cell, Wesker."

Wesker gave me a sideways glare and growled darkly. "Don't start with me, Ms. Nightshade. It wouldn't be wise to do so." He ran alongside me, keeping close in order to make sure he got what he wanted in the end. That was his only reason for protecting, I knew that, but it was still cool to have him around... watching him run..._ Damn fangirl thoughts..._

We passed the Freezer room, I shivered involuntarily in remembrance of being trapped in the tiny, cold room with a Regenerator. Wesker glanced at me then at the doors as we passed them, curiosity lighting up in his reddish-gold eyes and I shook my head saying that it was just the adrenline rush from what happened before. I really didn't want to tell him about the freak in that room then have him go sciencist mode on me and venture inside. Sure the damn thing should be dead... by all accounts from what Leon did to kill it, it should be safe to call it dead. But I wasn't going to take chances, that's the creepy thing of Resident Evil. You think its dead but then it pops back into your life at the most unfortunate time.

We turned north around the corner and headed for the stairs to the Armory. I checked our supply of ammo as we moved and winced. The battle on the roof seriously burned through our supply... so hopefully we can scour the room ahead for left over ammo to tie us over. Wesker paused as he listened for movement on the other side of the door, as I nervously glanced to the door several steps away that led to the Kitchen Entrance. If Wesker ever discovered that trying that door would lead us out faster then there was no hope in ever reuniting with Leon. Which was a giant no-no, I have to have him go the long way around in hopes that maybe something will happen to seperate us and I can run like a bat out of hell to join up with the cute government agent. After about a minute the former STARS commander pushed open the door. "I don't hear anything, so it's clear but we must move quickly."

* * *

-Armory

We looked around carefully, listening for the faintest sound to see if it was really safe to proceed, I seriously hope to the gaming gods that it half is. Wesker, since he had heighten senses was the one that mostly listened for any moment or breathing that didn't belong to him or me and while he's busying doing that, I rummaged around my side pack after finally getting the thing to open and pulled out my iPod. I was hoping to at least avoid Wesker's questions when it comes to it with my little music friend as I turned it on...

The screen remained black.

_What the hell now?_ I growled slightly as I fiddled with it to turn it on, and it still remain dead. _Crap, what the hell am I gonna do to keep my sanity on the long flight back home? Play 'I Spy' with Leon in the helicopter? No, I got it! We'll play 'Patty Cake'!_ I sighed as I gave the iPod a little shake. Well, I could always talk to Leon, get to know him better, maybe get some inside info on him that no one knew of. That could always be good, to just simply talk... know what he thinks and feels. _Pry into his personal life and learn what he likes and see if you can fulfill those... ARGH! Bad fangirl thoughts! BAD!_

"Dear heart, what are you doing?"

I gasped in surprise, jerking slightly and looked up at Wesker, his reddish gold feline eyes looking down at me. I blinked, I didn't say anything out loud did I? Game Gods I hope not! "Uh... just messing with my iPod." I answered finally when his eyes repeated the question. I held up the little device for him to see, "I think the water seeped in and short circuited the thing."

"Really now?" Wesker murmured, holding his hand out to me. I blinked at his hand, as if it had too many fingers on it, "Let me see it." I blinked again in confusion then nervousness about it. Afraid that if I let it go, he would either crush it or throw it, or both. "Let me see it, Ms. Nightshade."

I didn't want him destroying it but didn't have much choice in the matter, so I placed the tiny black iPod in his hand. He slightly smirked at the black color and as he turned it over in his hand, I tensed, I forgot about the skin I had placed on it. The Umbrella symbol with flames under it, as if symbolizing that Umbrella was like a wildfire, destroying everything in its path in its quest to make the perfect BOW. The RE villian lifted a brow at the picture, slightly confused by it but the smirk lifted more, he found it amusing. I mentally sighed in relief that he didn't question about the skin, he must've figured it just another product Umbrella had made before its fall.

We walked slowly through the first bit of the area, not wanting to get caught as Wesker continued to amuse himself by studying the little iPod. Why he was so interesting in the thing I have no idea, but I busied myself with raiding several boxes to find ammo to replenish our supply. We entered the small alcove of where the Merchant's shop would've been had he stuck around. Our darling human BOW also raided a couple of boxes, taking some techno stuff out while pulling out a personal toolkit from the inner pocket of his business jacket. I quirked a brow at him but then shrugged as I dug around in boxes for more ammo. I didn't know what he was doing but I wasn't going to pester him about it.

We were quiet as we raided the room, taking extra ammo and whatever else we could find. I did find a nice little canteen of water for me to carry since Leon had the other one in his attache case. I had forgotten I placed it in there hours or so ago. The sexy blonde villian was still fiddling around with the iPod and wouldn't let me see it until he was done with it. Which annoyed me since it was _**my**_ iPod. _Yes, yes, my iPod but if I annoy him about it any longer, he's going to Thrust Punch __**his**__ fist into my face. So, yeah, let's leave him alone with it. I don't want to being eating food through a straw._ I sighed to myself as I looked nervously to both exits. If we don't move soon, we'll be surrounded and-

"Here you are, dear heart." a dark purr sounded next to me, snapping me out of my thoughts and making me jump in shock. I let out a quiet gasp from being startled before turning to see him. Wesker only lifted a brow at my reaction but said nothing about it as he held the iPod out to me. "Here."

I blinked in confusion then looked at his hand, seeing the little music device sitting on his palm. _Okay, awkward..._ I took the device and blinked at it, turning it over in my hand. "Um, okay? Thanks for returning my broken iPod..?"

"I fixed it for you, Ms. Nightshade." Wesker replied matter-of-fact, "I replaced most of it."

"Oh..." I sighed again inwardly. Great, still no music. Though I thought about it, sure there's not music but at least I got a souvenir! _Sweet! I got something from Wesker! Ha! Beat that Ashley!_

"Do not worry, it still plays music." I blinked and looked up at him again. He fixed it for me? Whoa, that's a shocker. "The memory chip had survived the short out and I merely replaced everything else. Now you have your music back." Wesker smirked darkly as I gazed at the iPod with starry eyes, not paying attention to what the smirk meant. _This is SO awesome! Wesker actually did something nice! This is so much better than just a souvenir! I am going to treasure this thing forever and take very good care of it because of sexy ass Wesker fixed it for me! Maybe this will mean he'll- WHOA! Slow down there fangirl! _

I blinked and blushed at the thoughts that sprang up on me. Game gods these thoughts are going to kill me sooner or later, I just know it. We headed down the rest of the hallway and through the door to the Monitor Station.

* * *

-Monitor Station

_"This is Leon."_ I jerked slightly at hearing the agent's voice as we entered the room. Wesker lifted a brow as we went to the the stack of monitors in the corner of the room. We peered at one screen and I blinked in surprise at seeing a top-angled view of the government agent at the control tower. _I didn't know they had a camera in there... "Request backup. Repeat, request backup!"_ There was a burst of static coming from the microphone Leon was using and he cursed, slamming his fist on the machinery. _"Damn!"_

"Leon..." I murmured softly, worried that I wasn't with him to keep him calm. He must be flipping out at failing to find me anywhere so far. _Don't worry, Leon. I'll rejoin you soon..._ Wesker smirked as we watched the Raccoon City survivor search the room for supplies or clues to where I was. _..I hope. _Breaking away from Wesker will be next to impossible without something to distract with.

The human BOW chuckled darkly as he watched Leon begin to leave the room. I watched in amazement as the dirty blonde pause and turn to the stack of papers piled on a counter, then he swept the stack aside to reveal a box of shotgun shells. "He's quite the gifted survivor." Wesker mused as the agent claimed the box and survey the room once more before leaving. "His instincts are excellent. Anyone else would've missed those shells, let alone survive as long as he has."

"That he is..." I agreed, turning around to see what else could be of use. Anything would be good as a distraction, something had to be here that would be enough to escape the genius villain I was with now. I just didn't expect this to happen. "Oh shit..."

Wesker didn't have to turn around to see what made me swear in shock, he already knew about them and already knew that there was no way past them to the door behind them. A group of Militants were behind us, but they weren't the true threat. No... it was the two JayJays that were with them that made me almost crap myself. The chaingunmen leveled their weapons and revved them up. "Te voy a matar!"

The blonde BOW didn't waste any time. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me with him as he raced back through the door as the chainguns spewed their rounds and chips of wall and plaster flew every which way. He turned and using his immense strength, he twisted the doorknob to jam it. But he didn't stop there, no there was no reason to. The door would be broken down soon enough and he wanted to be away from them before they did. "I suggest you run quickly, Ms. Nightshade."

* * *

-Armory

Wesker pushed to urge me to run down the hall and I did. I ran and so did he. It was just seconds after we ran away from the door, did it come flying off its hinges, hundreds of nicks and dings on it as the stream of bullets shoved it to the wall opposite of the door. "Holy shit!" I yelped as ran with Wesker, looking over my shoulder to see the Militants pile in and the two JayJays file in behind them. I glared and shook my fist at the enemies. "Argh! I hate you guys so much! You're annoying!"

"They're aggravated enough, dear heart. Don't add to the fire." The former STARS member said matter of factly as we ducked into the alcove where it lead to the Stairwell Corridor. He peeked around the corner and fired bursts of gunfire into the mob of Militants, trying to either thin them our, or at least kill the JayJays. Which is both a good idea and a bad one. Good because then we wouldn't be having bullets in our asses. Bad because this was the best chance to escape Wesker and rejoin with Leon.

A Militant snarled and threw his shock stick at Wesker, who just watched it not even make the distance as it landed before him and rolled lazily by his business shoes. Then he promptly shot the soldier for it. I, on the other hand, watched it then reached over and snatched the handle, flicking off the power. This could be useful later. The pair of JayJays barked an order in Spanish and the mob of lesser Militants raced forward, depite Wesker's rapid fire. And as much as I wanted to escape the super sexy human BOW... I couldn't leave him behind to die. _Curse my damn fangirl love! And then again, if I leave him and he dies... Every other fangirl in world would hate me. Damnit! _

"Wesker! Forget putting holes in them! We gotta go!" I hissed, grabbing his arm and pulled him away from the corner. Which was difficult to do, seeing as he was pure lean muscle and I'm just little scrawny college girl. The BOW frowned before turning and heading out through the door and I followed.

* * *

-Stairwell Corridor

Wesker didn't waste any time to jam the door then, thankfully, ignored the door to the facility's kitchen and ran up the stairs and I followed, planning my escape carefully. If this works, I'll be free to rejoin Leon and continue on getting the hell out of here. Wesker tugged me with him as he headed toward the Waste Disposal Area, my escape route out. I was nervous about my plan, if it failed, no matter how much of the fangirl in me wants to jump and cuddle the former STARS captain... he was still a dangerous individual that could easily kill me. Not fun. I took a deep breath and let it out. Time to put this plan to action and pray to the gaming gods it works.

_Oh hell, please let this work!_

"Wesker, wait." I whispered, knowing he could hear me. He sighed and looked over his shoulder as he paused his cat-like stride. A look of irritation was in his eyes though he tried to mask it, forgetting that he was easy to read without his shades on. "Yes, Ms. Nightshade?" his tone still that of being in a business meeting.

"I don't think we should head to the Waste Disposal..." I said, "At least not yet." Wesker turned around and crossed his arms over his broad chest and I had to will myself to not blush in front of him. Which was hard to do since he looked so sexy in that pose. "And pray tell why we shouldn't?" he inquired, patiently waiting for my answer as if we didn't have a throng of killers after us. A blushed crept up on me as I twidled my thumbs, nervous and unsure if this was gonna work. I looked up at him and he had raised a brow at me.

"Um... if we go to the waste disposal then we'll be caught in a pincher maneuver. I'm sure there's going to be a group of Militants there... as well as Leon." I said carefully, watching his expression. He narrowed his eyes in thought, which was pretty quick since we're on the run. "Hmm... very nice, dear heart, I was just thinking the same." Wesker murmured, a feline smirk on his face. "And I know exactly what you're thinking. You want us to hide and slip out from behind them?"

I nodded. "Very well then, we shall." He smirked as he glanced at the Freezer room, the very same room where Leon no doubt got the _Infrared Scope _and fought that damned Regenerator. I headed to the card reader and fiddled with it, feigning to open it, since the room was already open. Wesker slightly ignored me as he stepped to the door, which opened with a loud _woosh!_, freezing mist poured out of the doorway. Interesting... There shouldn't be any after Leon had turned off the cryogenic freezer device.

Again, the human BOW walked in like he owned it, stepping over the lower half of the Regenerator corpse. Wesker wasn't interested in it since the upper half was splattered all over the eastern wall. I watched carefully from the doorway as he, not panicking in slightest, examined the charts and stuff of the half frozen body in the middle of the room. I inwardly sighed, badass, sexy and awesome to boot, even on the run with enemies around every corner, Wesker somehow finds a way to be scientific and just study things.

"You seem very calm about this, Ms. Nightshade..." he mused, not looking up from the little machine that was still spewing out paper and lines scribbled out on it. "Why are you so eager to help, when I know you oh so much wish to return to Mr. Kennedy?" I twitched as I pried open card reader panel next to the door outside the room. "Are you hiding something?"

I shook my head calmly, despite the fact I was worried as all hell about this. _Don't think too much, just do it... keep him off your scent._ "No, I'm just trying to keep you two away from each other."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really." I muttered, glancing nervously down the hall, where the sounds of the door being pounded on and the Spanish shouts that promised death came from. I brought up the cattle prong, stealthy placing the tip of the weapon to the circuits of the card reader as I removed a Flash grenade that I had found earlier in the Armory.

"You really care for Mr. Kennedy, don't you?"

"Yes I do..." I stated calmly, flicking off the grenade ring with my thumb and tossed it into the room. "Which is why you're staying here."

Wesker jerked away from the frozen experiment, and only let out a growl of rage as the flash grenade went off, filling the tiny room with light and effectively blinding him. At the same instant, I flicked the power on the shock stick, letting the electricity jump from the weapon to the circuits. There was a sharp _Bzzt!_ and the Freezer doors slammed shut and locked in defense against the "intruder".

"You will pay for this dearly, Ms. Nightshade!" Wesker hissed from behind the doors. I sighed as I placed my hand on the door and couldn't help but grin a little. "I know, I'll rue the day I bumped into you... which was hours ago; but I just crossed you more than twice. Anyway, you can escape through the air vents. You'll be fine. Later, Wesker!" I chirped happily, though still nervous as hell as I scurried away from the Freezer and toward the Waste Disposal Area.

And if I had stuck around to hear his next words, I would've heard him say. "Run, dear heart, run. You won't be able to hide from me now."

* * *

-Waste Disposal Area

"Rally~!" Leon's voice yelled and bounced off the walls of the large room. _Oh hell yes! Leon's safe! _I smiled with relief as I ran through the small control room that worked the crane. I peeked through the windows as I ran by, seeing the agent, as he leaned against the wall. He had the Striker in hand, his chest heaved with exhaustion from the running and fighting enemies in his frantic search for me. His hair was dirtied and slick with sweat, a few strands of hair sticking to his face which he brushed aside and called my name again.

I just burst through the door of the control room, carefully slid down the pile of debris and ran across it toward the agent. "Leon!" I couldn't resist saying his name, which startled him and caused him to look up. His weapon was raised slightly but lowered it again when he saw me, his bright blue eyes lit up at the sight. He pushed away from the wall and met up with me, half way across the room and welcomed the hug that I threw.

"Oh thank god you're alive, Rally." Leon sighed in relief as he hugged me briefly. I just smiled and repeated the words as well. The agent then pulled away and stared at me, obviously he was wondering what the hell I was wearing. Last time he clearly saw me, was at the castle when I was wearing something similar to his, and now I'm wearing something pop singers would wear to their concerts. "Um, Rally... what's with the outfit?"

I blushed deeply. "Um, its not something I would like to wear..." I mumbled, trying to cover myself, feeling self-concious. "It was Salazar's idea of _"ritual"_ clothes."

"Ritual clothes... by dressing you up as Britney Spears?" Leon's eyes slid to the side, trying to think of how that could've worked. He nodded to himself. "Yeah... he was crazy." he smiled at me, "Would it make you feel better by telling you I let him have it?"

I giggled, "Yeah, I let him have it too. Solid kick to the back."

The agent laughed as he led me away from the door that led to the Confinement Corridor. "Nice shot, Rally. I would've paid to have seen that. Anyway, let's get out of here; if we find the Merchant again, I'm sure you'll be able to change out of _that_." I glanced at him and noticed he tried not to stare for too long, either he was looking directly in my eyes, fiddle with his weapon or look around the room. Clearly, the popstar outfit was making the former rookie cop nervous. I couldn't but giggle inwardly. Okay, the outfit is disgusting... but to see Leon be like this as he was when around Ada was actually kinda worth it. _Man, I'm going to love remembering this._

Leon stopped next to the large hole where the trash was dumped in the facility. I smiled, the agent knew going back the way we both came in was no good, so he opted to go dumpster diving. No enemy would've thought we would do that. The strong toxic stink of the trash from below wafted up and hit my sense of smell like a slap to the face. I cringed and shuddered from the smell and without realizing it, I muttered. "Oh god that stinks..."

Agent Kennedy wrinkled his nose and waved the putrid fumes away from his face. "Sure does..." But he cast me his boyish grin, and I could literally see the idea form in his mind. Well... it was obvious anyway thanks to the game. _But he looked so cute with that grin... I mean who could resist it? Who would want to resist it? ...Gah! Leave me be, evil fangirl thoughts!_ I mentally waved aside the thoughts and brought myself up to say Ashley's line.

I glanced down the trash chute then back at Leon's grin, blushing slightly. "You're not thinking of... No way!"

Leon's smile turned into a charming, mischievous smirk, looking to all the world like a devilish teenager with a prank on mind. He put away the Striker and took my hand, I had to force myself not to blush too deeply, as he took a step closer to the mouth of the dump.

"Way." His smirked bloomed to a smile and hopped into the chute, pulling me with him. I let out a squeal of delight and fright as we fell into the darkness...

* * *

FINALLY! WOOT! It's been a couple of years since my last update, huh? I am **so** sorry for taking super long with this update. But I hope it was all to your liking and you enjoyed it. And I like to thank everyone that waited so patiently for this chapter.

Anyway, please R&R if you wish and I'll see you all in the next chapter!


	29. Heads UP!

Alright peeps, it's me Pikpixie03 aka evilvixen05 in dA and stuffs. DO NOT reply to this 'chapter' if you wish to ask me something or suggest, PM me. Thanks. :3 This 'chapter' will be up for a couple of days then removed. The message will then either be on my Author page of this site. And/or be on my dA account which I have link up on my page. And all future messages will be on those two areas, so be sure to check on those.

Now I know a lot of you are dying to know if I've stopped writing for RE4: AFGDCT. Honestly, no, I haven't. I'm actually going back and rewriting the older chapters to give them some new twists as many have noticed my story is very closely matching 1wingangel's fic, which is true but not done intentionally. We had talked some years ago about it and she's not upset, and let me keep as they are until I finished the fic. Which is very nice of her. BUT after awhile I just didn't feel right in leaving the older chapters as they are. There are somethings I can't change because it feels right but there others I want to redo and I have some ideas for them. I'm also job hunting so that's cutting into my time as well. O_o Hate to see what my time will be once I do get a job again.

So yeah, I'm rewriting the old chapters, not sure if its all of them or not, depends on how much I change and have to adjust to keep the main points of each one the same without having everything out of whack. As well as removing unneccessary songs that I now facedesk upon seeing them; like that song from the Cheetah Girls after the Garrdor Fight. I am SO sorry for everyone to wait YEARS to see this fic get done; and I thank you all literally for sticking by so eagerly for it. It means a lot to me. :)

I also felt like I rushed through the fic but then that can't be helped since in the game, you only got a few 'hours' to get rid of the plaga before you're screwed. But I did want to try to step back and look at Rally and Leon's, I wouldn't say relationship, but something between that seemed odd. They warmed up to each other a little too fast. They have nothing in romance between them, its just all teasing on my part. I love making Rally fight with herself. Its fun. It just seems too odd to warm up to someone that easily, even if it was some rescue thing. AND an overlook of Rally's strong personality, I was once told she was on borderline 'Mary Sue' which I don't like, I need to make her more believable but I'm not sure how to fix that without destroying her personality completely. So if anyone can point out those Mary Sue moments, PM me and I'll pay extra attention to those moments. I'll find some way to fix those or work around them or if you got a suggestion for those moments, let me know. Though I think 2 of them are with the Mendez fight and the Bella Sisters. I think.

But also another problem I'm facing is what to do exactly AFTER Rally is kidnapped for the final time by Saddler himself. You know that part I mean, the part where he forces Leon to his knees then has Ashely come to him then both walk out while Leon's on the floor? I've always wanted to somehow get the knife into the fic but I just don't how to get to it with Rally there and have her be with Saddler elsewhere without royally screwing up the structure of the game.

And the ending... well the three endings. I looked at them and thought how cheesy and well, I wouldn't say horrible but badly thought up. I like them but its just comes outta left field and makes no sense really. I'd use a Beta Reader but I'm not comfortable with having to wait on someone's feedback to post anything since I would need their help for tweaks and such.

I think that's all the issues I needed to let you guys know. Anyway, if you got questions or something to ask me, PM me.

Oh! Also someone has asked me to do a love story between Leon and Rally. I've never done one before, so I'll take a crack at it but I'm not sure what exactly that person is asking for. A Lemon, a fluff? And is it for like RE4 or some where else in the RE series?


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